Hello Southern Hemispherites!!

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  • Thanks everybody for your birthday greetings! Especially Cinque for going the extra mile and finding a lovely bike-themed illustration. You’re a real sweetie!

    My birthday has been cruisy, as when you’re retired you can suit yourself. Younger daughter arrived with lunch (nothing like a glorious steak & mushroom pie after a FD) and two special wee boys, one of whom had been doing his soon-to-be primary school in prep for starting school in Feb. I took the lad down to St Clair Beach after lunch to build some sandcastles and try not to get soaked when racing incoming waves. I called off my planned kayak on Otago Harbour as the wind came up. There’s always tomorrow . . .

    Tonight we’re off to the same daughter’s place for a family birthday celebration. The scales delivered me great news this morning so I’ve decided the bottle of Asti Riccadonna I’ve been hoarding will be cracked tonight to celebrate. I’m now into my 9th week of 5:2 fasting and have lost 5.2kg, which apparently is about what’s expected. It’s certainly not as dramatic as some peoples’ losses but I’m hoping slow and steady is the way to go.

    Keep shrinking everyone!

    Good afternoon all.

    John, happy birthday. It sounds like your day has already been full of special moments to treasure – especially sandcastle building – enjoy.

    Cinque, I agree with John. You really are a sweetie and I’m extremely grateful that you continue to share your kind and gentle thoughts with us. Every time I read your posts I’m reminded to be kind to others and to not be judgemental – you always lead by example in this.

    Cali, I love the idea of a virtual thanksgiving – even if we don’t get a turkey dinner! We can at least imagine you enjoying yours.

    Well that was a bit of a mistake. I got distracted while writing my post and then forgot about it. I’ve just returned from a trip to the chemist and an afternoon walk to find it still sitting here waiting to be finished – oops.

    Neil, well done for sticking with the new restricted program, especially with the temptation of brownies.
    Something to bear in mind for when you do reintroduce things like dairy and legumes – your gut may take time to adjust to them. According DrMMs book “Clever Guts”, the microbes that help us digest specific foods die off if we don’t feed them, so you are likely to have fewer available when you reintroduce foods you have abstained from. The important thing is to not panic and assume it’s a food intolerance – it may just be your body needing time to grow more of the applicable microbes so it can digest these foods properly again.

    Rae, so pleased to see how well you are doing.
    I am with you on the milk – while I love bread I could live without it more easily than milk. Luckily I don’t have to live without either of them – although there are days when I can’t trusted to show restraint around a freshly baked loaf.

    Anzac, wonderful that you got to spend quality time with family – something so precious that we’ve had little of this year. Wonderful too that Maxx keeps earning gold stars for most improved in class!

    Thin, the makeup artist must have done a good job on your brother if you didn’t recognise him when he was on the screen. Are they still filming tv/movies in the UK this year or just showing things filmed before Covd? Everything went in to a filming hiatus here for a while.

    Betsy, sending you good thoughts for your busy week, as you wade through those transcripts.

    I have been mostly avoiding shops, but braved the supermarket and the pharmacy today. I was disappointed by the number of customers without masks – barely half were wearing them. I did have a bit of a find at the chemist – I asked (without much expectation) if they had any masks for sale as my stock of disposables was dwindling. They had washable PM25 masks with removable filters for just under $12. Given that they come with 12 filters which each lasting for 60 hours of wear, I thought this was an excellent price. I was thinking I’d have to go rummaging through my quilting fabrics and unpack the sewing machine!

    I pulled a tub of lamb, chickpea and veg curry out of the freezer. I’m having half for dinner tonight with some cooked barley and a big dollop of yoghurt. Tomorrow is a FD so I’ll have the other half without the barley.

    Hello to everyone else I haven’t mentioned. Have a nice evening all.

    Happy Birthday Jony! What a wonderful way to spend it. I love your sign-off ‘keep shrinking’!

    Neil, not logged in when you know you were, commiserations. Sometimes, when I go back a page, I find my post is still precariously sitting there ready to be copy/pasted while I satisfy the log in request. I’d have been frustrated with that woman’s comments too – especially now she’s bringing two more people into the world.

    LJ, sorry yes, I’m life’s greatest cynic. What you see is what you get with me. I wasn’t always like this but I’ve become intolerant with age and experience. As a former Occupational Therapist, it was clear to me that the best way to help people is to help them to help themselves. A bit like not feeding wildlife – it becomes dependent on it. Not that people can’t be given a leg up occasionally but so many seem so self-absorbed with micro issues. It’s good that we have cinque to balance my comments!

    LJ, not sure but I think some TV productions have found a way to continue filming. Some pantomimes were going ahead with lottery grants to buy the seats that had to remain vacant for distancing. That mask was a good find. I’ve found that wearing a mask keeps my face warm so I keep it on whenever we’re out. I’d prefer it if the ‘distance’ rule was better adhered to, I find a lot of people seem to disregard this when wearing a mask. It’s encouraging to think that, by Easter, life could be returning to normal. Economic fallout notwithstanding.

    Morning all

    Day 10, 1/3 way there. I noticed I’m not getting the stomach issues that I was getting before starting the programme so there was definitely something I was eating that was causing me grief. I’m feeling good with energy levels and still get cravings but the cravings aren’t as strong as they were a few days ago. They were pretty strong last night though because we were running late to get home for dinner and all I wanted was a few slices of buttery toast, but I held off and had a handful of nuts while I grilled the leftover roast pork, mushrooms, courgettes, and then topped it off with a couple of raw veggies and a handful of blueberries. I know I’m not allowed to measure or weigh myself, but I wore a pair of pants that I haven’t worn for a week and they were definitely very loose today, so signs are good that I may have even dropped a kilo or two.

    Jony, sounds like a pretty good birthday, congrats on the good number on the scales and I hope you enjoyed your bubbly.

    Ljoyce, the lamb curry sounds pretty darn good, How do you cook the barley with it?

    Well have a good one everyone.

    Just a quick pop in with flowers for Penguin. I think these are gorgeous! https://www.aladyinlondon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/IMG_7011.jpg
    One week and it will be December and the end in sight for your treatment!

    You did have a great birthday Jony!
    Hello to everyone else too.
    Fast day for me and Miso the cat has just had her Whiskas.
    I might have done a bit too much gardening yesterday so have been resting today. But I have beans and zucchini and basil planted, hopefully not too late.

    Catch you tomorrow.

    Good evening all.

    I’m not feeling very bright tonight – definitely an early night is called for.
    I saw definite signs of a lung infection developing this morning, so I commenced my antibiotics and then took myself off to get a covid test. I used the drive thru site as it gives safer distancing from other potentially infected people. Unfortunately there is only one drive thru and it’s popular. I meant an hour of driving and 3 1/2 hours of sitting in a car in the sun waiting for a stick to be shoved up my nose. I now have a headache to add to the other symptoms – possibly from the sum of the restricted fluid intake (I was scared to drink too much when I didn’t have toilet access). I’m also confined to the house until I get the results – which I fully expect to be negative. I’m now trying to drink lots of water to make up the dehydration.
    Life was a lot easier when we didn’t have community transmission here, as I had the doctor’s approval to avoid the covid testing providing I only had my usual symptoms and that I stayed home until the antibiotics cleared the infection. Now that we have community transmission I need to get the tests.

    Cinque, what lovely lupins you chose for Penguin.

    Thin, my comments to Cinque were not aimed at you. I was having a moment of self reflection about my own judgemental thoughts about a documentary I’d seen the night before. I don’t mind your acerbic quips actually – they usually make me smile.

    Take care everyone. I need to go and water the garden before dark if I’m to have anything healthy to photograph for our Thanksgiving harvest tomorrow.

    Neil, sorry I just saw your post – didn’t mean to leave you out of my earlier ramblings.
    I cook the barley separately (my dietitian recommended it as the best grain for resistant starch). You can just boil it in water (takes 30 mins for pearl barley or 90+mins for the coarser whole barley grain). I use both types, but at the moment I’m using the wholegrain barley.
    In this instance I didn’t use boiled grains. I had made a pot of Chicken Basque – the base of which is meant to be brown rice flavoured with onions, chorizo, red capsicum, garlic, sundried tomatoes, chicken stock and orange juice. I made it with barley instead of rice and used some this (with the chunks of chorizo picked out) to go with the curry. They worked surprisingly well together actually.

    Great news for Britons, we can have a ‘Christmas Bubble’ of three households for five days. These are exactly the five days that DD has off work this year. Tomorrow, we will find out whether our region will still be in local lockdown when the national lockdown ends on 2nd December. But if we still can’t see DD next week, at least we know we can spend Christmas together. We are tantalisingly close and haven’t been allowed to see her new house. Boris says we must have a ‘Jolly Careful Christmas’. I wonder how this affects Penguin’s tribe this year?

    Neil, I hope you can isolate the offending foods.

    LJ, what a drama for a covid test. OH and I walked past a testing centre yesterday and people were driving in with no wait. I hope you’re feeling better after hydrating.

    Good morning,
    It is Thursday the 26th of November here, Thanksgiving!
    All decorated https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/570bfd2ec2ea519a20bbdf35/1572014250476-7C1GOSH8CFCS20UKPC4Z/1.PNG?content-type=image%2Fpng

    We might be on the opposite side of the world and the opposite season of the year, Cali, but there is still plenty to harvest and plenty to give thanks for.

    It has been a lovely harvest with the 5:2 forum, new people here this year and a lovely community continuing.

    I’ve been thinking what I have harvested this year, and in the main it has been a hard harvest. I am drawing a line under setting up the YamDaisy food project that was so close to my heart. I spent months in lockdown and still couldn’t organise the back room… demoralizing 🙁 . I kept 5:2ing (less strictly at times, true) to maintain, and yet managed to let some kilos sneak back on. But reality is my friend, and teaches me best. So my other harvest is new ideas and new habits for my interest and my health.

    My thanksgiving:
    5:2! Thanks Dr Mosley and you lot!
    My garden, my cooking, my sisters and my daughter’s family.
    My safe little home.
    My beautiful masks (well fitting, comfortable and gorgeous fabrics that I can match to my outfit).

    And in honour of the traditional American Thanksgiving story I am planning to make my chili corn-pone pie recipe that is a cornbread crust and a filling of kidney beans, pumpkin, corn and peppers. If I manage it okay I’ll put up a pic this evening.

    Special wishes to you Cali and your family who have been living in the thick of covid this year. A year of particularly hard struggle with so many things out of your control and you have kept yourself and your family safe, and remained a good friend to all of us here. Thankyou.

    Happy Thanksgiving.

    Good morning all from a warm sunny Sydney. 29 the top today

    Mr Maxx is passed out on the cool laundry tiles after a big run in the park early this morning before it got too hot. Mr Anzac and I had a lovely swim before the days work begins

    Happy belated birthday Jony, it sounds like you had a great day

    How awful for you LJ; 3.5 hours in a hot car plus driving time just to get a test. I truly hope your lung infection does not develop into anything nasty.

    Happy Thanksgiving Cali and all. We do have a lot to give thanks for

    I had a big blow out food-wise on the weekend but back into the groove this week. We just re-booked our trip to Fiji for next October and I will lose 20 kilos by then. I will. Mr Anzac is now my fitness instructor and will gently prod me to do my planned exercise each day.

    I’m sorry that YamDaisy did not eventuate Cinque, I guess it wasn’t meant to be. It was a great idea though. I enjoyed reading your thanksgiving and here are mine

    5:2 Thanks Dr Mosley and you lot (same as you :))
    A good job albeit stressful at (most) times
    A good brain to enable me to have the good job
    Friends and family
    My beautiful home
    My wonderful hubby
    My cheeky but loving labrador

    Thin, how wonderful that you will be able to have 5 whole days with your daughter over Christmas. I do hope you get to see her before then too

    Neil you are smashing this new programme. I don’t know where you get the motivation but good for you!

    Hi to everyone else, take care and have a great day

    And now catch up 🙂

    Jony, you are losing weight at twice the rate I did (and even I got there in the end!).

    LJoyce, I do hope you have recovered now from that horrible wait for your test. Getting that bit dehydrated really sets me back, and it would be even worse while battling a lung infection. I hope you have managed to get yourself feeling to rights again, and that the antibiotics are doing their job.

    Are you still making kefir and/or kombucha? I am going to try sweet potato fly, but It does ask for a whack of sugar to feed the fermenting microbes, so I will see how that affects me. It has made me wonder about water kefir or kombucha again.

    I’m glad you found some good masks. I have seen nice cloth ones for sale too, now that the shops are reopening. In a way it is a pity SA’s lockdown didn’t last long enough for people to get into the habit of wearing them.

    Neil, all power to you. A couple more days and you will be half way through.

    Thin, I am so glad you and Mr Thin will have a lovely 5 days with DD. Best Christmas present.

    I’m off to spend a bit of time with Miss 4. (Then a rest, and then to make chili corn-pone pie).

    Best wishes. Ooh and a chance for another Thanksgiving day photo:
    https://23pxcp3u31lgiybw92v8rma1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/diycandlespumpkins-600×400.jpg

    Yours sincerely, Sweetie 😉

    Happy belated birthday, Jony. I’ve loved seeing your photos of the view from your home. I would be standing at the window or outdoors all day looking. It is simply stunning! And great job on your weight loss. You are doing very well indeed.

    LJ, I hope you’re feeling better today. What a ghastly long wait for that covid test, and in the warm weather too. Getting dehydrated didn’t help, I’m sure. I hope drinking lots of fluids when you returned home and a good night’s sleep helps you feel better today.

    Thin, so happy to hear that you’ll be able to spend time with your daughter for a few days over Christmas. Will you go to her place? I hope you can spend a little time before that too.

    Cinque, thank you and everyone else here who is sharing Thanksgiving with me. You are a day ahead with the time difference so we’ll be celebrating with a big Thanksgiving meal tomorrow. I will be making turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce with pineapple, creamed spinach (one of OH’s favorites), roasted root vegetables and pumpkin pie and maybe lemon squares for dessert. We will be eating leftovers for days and likely freeze some. I will post some pictures later or tomorrow.

    I am thankful for you lot and that I found my way here about 4 years ago when thin and I got involved in a conversation about cockatoos and she invited me over here. I treasure all of your friendships and support.
    Dr. Mosley and 5:2
    My dear husband and sister who have braved this long covid lockdown with me.
    A comfortable home to spend all this time in.
    Our dog, cat and two macaws who keep us entertained.
    Good food (maybe a bit too much lately).
    Several good Australian Tv series that have been keeping us entertained nightly, which I found on a search of tv shows about Australia, because of you lot. Who knew there would be so many and that they would be so good!
    I’m thankful that we will have a new president on Jan. 20th who will hopefully bring this nation together and bring us back into the international community again on climate change and treaties.

    Good afternoon all and happy thanksgiving.

    Cali, I hope the turkey is stuffed and ready to bake. We will all be with you in spirit though unfortunately not in person. I hope it’s a lovely day.

    My veggie harvest is not quite ready for thanksgiving although most of the veggie garden hold lots of promise of bounty to come. https://imgur.com/a/gypj1Es
    I can’t keep up to the rhubarb at the moment – I picked a huge amount 2 weeks ago and yet it’s overgrown with fat crimson stalks again. My zucchini patch has lots of recently fertilised babies that should be ready to start picking in a few days. I’m getting a couple of cherry tomatoes each day and the baby romas are especially good. Lastly I left a few of the broad bean plants in to dry off and produce some seed for next year – that’s the harvest that keeps on giving.
    To give thanks for my harvest, all of the veggies in tonight’s dinner come from the veggie patch. I’m making a bowl of legume spaghetti (made from black beans), with tuna, chilli oil, spinach, cherry tomatoes and broad beans.

    I am thankful for wonderful family, friends and neighbours. For a house that is comfortable and practical. For good health (I know that might sound weird with my well known health issues), as despite my illness I am more active than I ever thought would be possible and I really do have reasonable health most of the time. Some others with my illness are in wheelchairs so I am very lucky.
    What this year has taught me is to not put off things until tomorrow as you never know what tomorrow will throw at you. Enjoy today.

    Thin, How wonderful that you finally get to spend 5 days with your daughter. I think you’ve all earned a bit of family time after the year you’ve had. It’s been a year of “so close yet so far away”, not being able to visit as you had intended.
    I saw a documentary on the building of the canals on SBS last night. They were describing the Bingley locks and how the working boatmen used to actually battle with each other to get there first. Of course my mind immediately started imagining you and MrT is swashbuckling pirate style battling with the other boats to make it to the locks first.

    Cinque, yes I do still make kombucha – I bottled a new batch 2 days ago. It also starts with sugar (100g for about 2 litres of tea). My understanding is that all of that sugar is consumed by the scoby during the fermenting process. When I bottle mine I flavour it with fruit tea bags and a couple of teaspoons of stevia. There may still be some sugar left in it but I doubt there’s much as it’s very sour before I add the stevia.
    Enjoy your grandma-granddaughter time and that lovely dinner.

    We’ve had a new community covid case here overnight, but thankfully it wasn’t me. As expected, my covid test was negative but I still need to isolate until my symptoms are gone. The lung infection is still present but improved.

    Have a lovely day all.

    Cinque, Thank you for the flowers. We have those in the garden, but after a couple of nights below 0 deg C they are not looking as good as that.

    Thin, I quite like the idea of a narrow boat but the practicalities just wouldn’t work at the moment, too much stuff would have to go into store and previous experience is that we find we need the stuff in store!

    Life just got complicated. After hearing nothing for weeks, this afternoon I sent off an email to the agents saying “When do they want to move? We need to talk because we need to find somewhere to rent, the oil tank is getting low, we have surplus furniture, are they interested ” and got a telephone reply suggesting 11 Dec – two weeks tomorrow. This is going to be tight. We will look at a possible apartment tomorrow afternoon and if it works we then need to book a removal company who can do it in that timescale. We had started to pack but there is a lot still to do. An added complication is that I have a CT scan and possibly my final chemo on 9th Dec. I say possible final chemo, it may not happen because it seems to be causing me problems I was not aware of. Either way we are going to be very busy, so I may not be posting much in the near future.

    CalifD, I hope you’ve had a wonderful celebration today. Your meal sounds yummy. Was it really four years ago that we met on that other thread? I was looking up your location on the California map recently. Do you spend much time at Yosemite? It used to be my favourite national park in California. I think we’ll spend Xmas at DD’s tiny house (how things turn around!). We would love to find another pet sit like last year so we can spread out but it’s probably too risky. The hosts did invite us back again this Christmas but, unfortunately, we couldn’t commit when they needed to know.

    Penguin, I’m sorry you’ve had a complication with your chemo but hope the bigger picture is going well for your recovery. All the best with the packing, move to temporary accommodation and renovations at the new place. I wonder which Tier you’ll be in next week. We’re in Tier 3 so nothing much changes except that the shops will re-open. Maybe I’ll brave it to the hairdresser.

    Anzac, how exciting that you’re off to Fiji! And 20 kgs of you won’t be going along. OK, regular progress reports please.

    Cinque, I’m sorry that Yam Daisy couldn’t get off the ground but you did try hard. It was good of you to put so much energy into trying to help others when you have so many struggles of your own. That’s our Cinque! I’ll stop looking out for that business plan then.

    LJ, that sounds an interesting doco. I’m sorry that your trip didn’t go ahead when you had finally made it all happen. But it will be even better next year with exactly the side excursions you really wanted.

    Yes, thank you to everyone here for making this such a wonderful thread. Three cheers for Dr M. for introducing us to 5:2. He’s moved on but I haven’t. It’s changed my life. Not a day passes when I’m not thankful for my health. I only have to look around to realise my good fortune. Although I know it’s not all down to good luck – good management plays a role too and, for that, I thank Dr M. for giving me the tools.

    Morning all

    day 12 and I’m dying to jump on the scales. I didn’t do this for weight loss but it seems to be carving off me even though I’m eating well over 2000 calories a day. We’re not supposed to count calories but after 2 years of tracking them I have a fair idea of how much I’m consuming. My love handles are disappearing and I’m getting more definition through my chest. Well 2 and a half more weeks to go before I can jump on the scales and see what it’s done for me.

    I had a big energy slump yesterday because I had a big exercise day the previous day. I did an hour bike ride before work, an hour walk at lunch, rode home up the hills, then spent 90 minutes mowing lawns and mulching up all the hedge clippings. The programme recommends that if you have an energy slump after excessive exercise, you need to eat some more higher carb foods like pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, etc. So I cooked up a big pot of potatoes mashed with the skins on and using olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic and I ate half with dinner last night and half with breakfast this morning, and now I feel great. This programme seems to do really well at managing how your body feels.

    Penguin, always good to heart from you. Sorry to hear you’re having issues with the chemo. I hope everything works out with that and the move.

    Ljoyce, the garden looks great. Our rhubarb is looking good at the moment too, I just picked a dozen or so stems last night that were around 1½ feet long and a couple of inches wide at the base, I’ll have to cook it up and use it soon because there’s at least twice as much still left in the garden.

    Cali, I think everyone is hoping the new president will be able to unite the country. We get the news reports over here of the unrest, the battle over the election results and everything. I really is disheartening the amount of anger and hate around at the moment in the states. 🙁

    Cinque, what is a chilli corn-pone pie?

    Anzac, good luck with your weight goal for the Fiji trip next year, whereabouts in Fiji are you going?

    Thin, great you get to have Christmas with the family, that must be a relief.

    Well have a great day everyone, and stay vigilant in this leadup to Christmas, the month of festive eating 😉

    Good morning,

    I was so tired last night I didn’t make the chili corn pone pie, thinking I would do it this morning, still within your thanksgiving day Cali. Going slow this morning, but I need to make it before my early afternoon meal, so the odds are good I will get it done by your midnight!

    Neil I found the recipe for this chili cornpone pie in a wonderful 1980’s (I think) book of bean recipes, mostly from SW USA. The crust is basically cornbread, pressed into a pan with the back of a spoon, topped with a chili mixture (originally mince and beans, but I subbed pumpkin for the mince) and grated cheese on top.
    Year later I found another recipe, very similar, but with the cornbread mixture on top. It is nice and easy to make
    And even more recently I have found a recipe called tamale pie that was very like my original with a vegetarian filling I didn’t think was nearly as nice as the one I adapted.
    As best I could research, pone means pie, but most of the pone recipes I have found are sweet. (I have a good one that is made from grated sweet potato and pumpkin with ginger and coconut, mixed and baked until it is all softened into a pie).
    Any more info gratefully received (Cali?), and photo coming up!

    https://imgur.com/WeCfKvB

    Kia ora, everyone! On our forum, folk seems to be excited about Thanksgiving Day! I’m guessing some Americans have moved to Oz or NZ and are keeping the tradition alive. Funnily enough we’ve got family living near San Fran at present and they’re sending us daily WattsApp updates on their Thanksgiving experience. I’m impressed that 5:2 forum members posting about it are telling us what they’re thankful for – it doesn’t hurt to be thankful. I guess the nearest thing we have in NZ to Thanksgiving is Christmas, the time when young folk overseas make their way home (if they can!) and enjoy an outdoor Xmas in the sun with their families and a glorious holiday in the sun beside a lake or beach. It’s a huge family time here.

    My birthday just keeps on giving – yesterday I found a large box in the fridge and discovered it contained the last slice of the spectacular cake, which features choc cream, choc icing and choc slices. It was my FD, so I had to wait till today to see whether it would disappear. It was still there this morning at 10am so in the interests of freeing up fridge space I had to pair it with my morning Nespresso. A very light lunch coming up for me – my favourite, a small tin of Sealord chilli salmon on Vogel’s rye.

    Yes, my rhubarb is taking off in the garden, too. I had to pick some to stop it from crowding my new strawbs, which are producing fruit even though the plants don’t seem to have grown much. Time to get the net on!

    CalifDreamer, thanks for liking our view. We’ve considered moving to a smaller property but then we look at the view and conclude we’re destined to remain here for as long as we can. Thank goodness Better Half retires next month and will be free to help out around the place – she’s been working fulltime running a big school so 40 hours’ gardening each week should be a doddle! Going back to the view, attached is a pic I took one morning when I looked out on a rather stormy scene. It’ taken from my front terrace.

    Neil, good work with the radical diet. Rather you than me! Be careful crossing those stormwater gratings – you might slip through! Our AOK Wanderers Xmas bike ride down the Peninsula is on Dec 12. Drinks on St Clair Beach afterwards. Be there or be square!

    Keep shrinking everyone! – John

    Part 2,

    Anzac, a lovely post. Exciting news to have booked for your Fiji trip. Next October will be here before we can blink. A lovely lot of things to be thankful for.

    Hooray for being in the groove.

    Yes, I need lots of energy or lots of money to do YamDaisy, and I have neither. It will be on again if I win tattslotto! Or get well. So sad I never got that business plan to you Thin.

    Cali, what a feast! I imagine that you are very busy at the moment. Well, that is if your feast will be the evening meal. If you have just finished it I imagine you are all lying on couches holding your full bellies and blobbing out with an episode of McLeod’s Daughters. (I just love that Australian TV is one of the things you are thankful for.)
    Looking forward to photos.

    One more Thanksgiving link! https://voiceboks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/GRATEFUL-THANKFUL-BLESSED.jpg

    LJoyce, ooh that rhubarb! Would it work to pop some of that in with your next batch of kombucha?
    Thanks for the info about kombucha, I will play around a bit more even though I have trained my brain so well to not want sugar, I am balking at bringing it back into the house, haha. But I do want to feed up those clever fermenting bugs. (Wish I could do it with Lindsay’s honey).

    I do hope your harvest meal was every bit as wonderful as it sounded.

    It would have been good to get your test result back. Yay for that lung improvement, may it be better again today. And yes, hooray for all you are able to do, despite those serious health issues. Good luck and, as Thin says, good management.

    Ooh Penguin, so cold there! It s heatwave in Australia. And even though Melbourne is being let off lightly I have so many seedlings to protect from today’s fierce sun.
    Bad news that chemo is doing something it shouldn’t to you. You are so close to the end of the treatment I do hope it has done its work.
    Good grief, what a shock that moving timeframe is, did you consider saying, sorry, no, wait til after Christmas? Ah well, I hope everything falls into place beautifully, and especially that you find the best possible removal company that takes all the work and stress off your shoulders and does its job brilliantly. Hoping that all the wishes flowing to you from the southern hemisphere will help!

    Thin, yes, and we all thankyou as every one of us found your wisdom and experience and good will here when we arrived. 5:2 has been the best tool for getting healthy and to a healthy weight.

    I have to run (sisters zoom time, then chili cornpone pie cooking). Catch you later.

    Penguin, happy to hear that you now have a date on the sale of your home. But sorry it’s such short notice after all that waiting! I hope the apartment you are looking at tomorrow turns out to be suitable and that you find a good removal company so it all goes as smoothly as possible. And I hope you have mild weather for the move. Wishing you a good scan on the 9th and good tests for the final chemo so it doesn’t have to be delayed as chemo treatments often are.

    Neil, I’m anxious to hear your results from the new eating plan too. It seems longer than 12 days. I would find it hard not to weigh myself each day. But since your clothes are fitting looser, you know it must be working.

    Jony, that photo with the storm clouds is almost more amazing that the one on a sunny day with all the flowers. What a view!

    LJ, I will definitely have to find a place that sells rhubarb plants and try one in a large pot that can be move and protected from the intense sun in the summer. I love rhubarb pies and cooked rhubarb. It seems to do well in a lot of different climates. I remember having plants in the Midwest where the ground froze solid in the winter,but it came right back up in the spring. They did seem to like some shade though.

    Neil, I’m anxious to hear your results from the new eating plan too. It seems longer than 12 days. I would find it hard not to weigh myself each day. But since your clothes are fitting looser, you know it must be working.

    Jony, that photo with the storm clouds is almost more amazing that the one on a sunny day with all the flowers. What a view!

    Cinque, that chili corn pone pie sounds delicious. I’ve tried similar things in the past, sometimes adding corn kernels to the chili beans. I like the cornbread with very little sugar, if any. Thank you for the lovely Thanksgiving pictures.

    LJ, I will definitely have to find a place that sells rhubarb plants and try one in a large pot that can be move and protected from the intense sun in the summer. I love rhubarb pies and cooked rhubarb. It seems to do well in a lot of different climates. I remember having plants in the Midwest where the ground froze solid in the winter,but it came right back up in the spring. They did seem to like some shade though.

    We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with lots of great food and lots of exercise preparing it all. Cooper was beside himself once the turkey started cooking and he could smell it in the oven. He had lots in his bowl when it was done.

    Here are a few pictures. My harvest this year was limited to some big pots of basil and mint which are pretty shriveled because of some of the low temps at night. But the Meyers Lemon tree has lots of lemons on it which are barely turning yellow. I hope you can see them in the picture. They should be ripe before Christmas. The trees in front of the house don’t look as bright of orange and red as they do in person, but I left the picture in anyway. The driveway is filled with leaves now. My Halloween decorations get modified to Thanksgiving this time of year. https://m.imgur.com/gallery/MZNkjCD

    Saturday morning in Melbourne. A dull day, which is SO nice. My seedlings are getting a reprieve.

    Here is my chili cornpone pie out of the oven: https://imgur.com/a/zbNMCnj
    It is so delicious, but due to a) making the filling too wet and b) making the crust too wet, it wasn’t up to my usual standard (mightily annoyed at myself, I think my brain was too wet!) and the crust didn’t brown properly on the bottom. So you don’t see a picture of a lovely wedge being cut with the golden crust, the red and orange middle and the cheesey top. Didn’t happen! However, I will make it again soon, as I now have an imperative to get it right.

    Cali,(surprise) I never add sugar to cornbread, and I do add fresh corn to the chili filling however the corn is awful in the shops here at the moment, and I had a tin of creamed corn (bought two and then decided I really don’t like creamed corn) so added that and hence too wet. Luckily the flavour is fine.

    Neil, you are right, that Whole30 program does seem to look after participants well. And especially ones like you who actually do what they say. I am glad there was a good fix for the energy slump.

    Jony, the Thanksgiving posts were my idea for us to celebrate with our Californian member because of the hard year she has had living in the states for 2020.
    I hope your San Fran family members had a good thanksgiving too.
    In Australia we are very like NZ, with Christmas the main celebration of family get-togethers. Yikes, isn’t it coming up quickly!

    Haha what a wonderfully post birthday, post fast day breakfast you had with that cake! So thoughtful of you to free up the fridge!

    And what a stunning view you have. (I have a factory over the road with a poor ornamental cherry tree on the nature strip that gets pruned into an ugly shape to avoid the power lines.) (from the sublime to the ridiculous).

    Cali, thanks for the pics, your decorations look wonderful, and your lovely Autumn garden too, ooh the lemon tree looks so laden, what pleasure to come.

    It is day before fast day for me, and I am just pottering around and trying to write so many little things on my to-do list that there will be lots ticked off at the end of the day!

    Best wishes all!

    Hello from a VERY hot day in Sydney. The forecast is saying it is already 40 degrees in my suburb. Tomorrow is supposed to be worse

    I hear it is hot too in Adelaide LJ? What a wonderfully positive post, I’m so glad you are able to manage your illness as well as you do.

    Sorry about your pie Cinque, even the best cooks have little oopsies now and then. I hope you were able to tick lots of your to-do list.

    My calendar tells me it is dear Quacka’s birthday today. If you are reading, happy birthday!!

    Happy belated Thanksgiving Cali and I’m glad you had a wonderful day. Lucky Cooper with his turkey!!

    Such a sacrifice but well worth freeing up fridge space Jony 🙂

    So sorry about all the complications Penguin, good luck with it all. Don’t worry if you can’t post, we know you are out there keeping an eye on us

    Thanks for your encouragement Thin, I’m going to break the 20 kilos down into small targets. Mr Anzac has gone bush with the boys this weekend and boy is it tempting to overeat but I’m being strong. It’s too hot to do any outdoor exercise, aside from a very early walk with Maxx so I’ve got the air-con on and will get on the exercise bike shortly.

    I’m not surprised you had an energy slump Neil. I had to re-read the list of activities several times before it sunk in!

    Take care all, and those in the heat zones stay cool

    Hello all.

    Anzac, yes it was also hot here today (and 40C yesterday). If this weather system is moving east, you’ll be pleased to know we’ve just had a little rain and it’s starting to cool. Hot, but fairly short lived. Stay cool until then.

    Penguin, good luck with the frantic packing. Could you have a family working bee to get things in boxes, or do current covid restrictions prevent that?

    Cali, the thanksgiving decorations are very cute. I loved your descriptions of Cooper’s antics as he waited for his turkey dinner.
    I initially put the rhubarb in a large pot but it wasn’t happy. I found it a sheltered spot against the fence which helps protect it from frosty weather and also mush of the afternoon sun in summer. At the moment I’m trying to find neighbours who want some as I can’t keep up to it.

    Cinque, I don’t add sugar to cornbread either – I’ve always thought it was unnecessary.
    That pie looks very tasty actually – even if you think it’s to moist.

    John, very glad to hear that you got the last slice of birthday cake.
    I love the pictures of the view from your home – I wouldn’t want to leave either.

    Neil, it’s great that you can see the changes in your body. Hopefully you will be rewarded on the scales once the month is up.

    They arrived too late for thanksgiving, but I though I’d mention that I picked my first two zucchini this morning. There are more that are only a day or two away from picking size, so I’m going to have to dig out my zucchini recipe file.

    I’ve taken advantage of the hot weather (and the effect it has on my appetite) to do two B2B FD800s. I am looking forward to my dinner very much.

    Cinque, not sure if you’ve seen it yet, but I found a new cooking show on SBS food (channel 33). It’s called May’s Kitchen (May Yacoubi) and is all middle eastern recipes, but not the Lebanese, Moroccan, Egyptian etc that I’m used to. She’s done recipes from Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, etc. Dishes I’ve never heard of before, but look delicious. The spicing really appeals to me, and I thought it might to you too. The only difficulty is that I haven’t been able to find her recipes published online, just videos – which means taking notes.

    Anzac, hope you can manage to stay cool today. 40 degrees is hot! Our high here tomorrow is supposed to be 15 with a low at night around 3 degrees. We’ve definitely traded weather now! Someone on one of the local forums had suggested that we postpone Christmas until summer, like in the Southern Hemisphere, when families could gather outdoors where the Covid risk is lower, given the high numbers and too many people ignoring suggestIons of celebrating within our own households only. Numbers are already going so high that I hate to even think where they will be In a couple weeks after all the Thanksgiving traveling and gatherings. Very frustrating.
    Anzac, enjoy your weekend alone and resist the temptation to overeat. Sometimes that’s easier when we don’t have to worry about what another family member is going to eat. Be strong! It would be a great weekend to go for a swim in your pool for exercise.

    Cinque, your chili corn pone pie looks beautiful! I wonder if setting it in a very low oven for a while would dry it out a little without burning it? But even though it’s a little too wet it will probably taste just fine, just messier to cut. Do your stores carry frozen cut corn? That’s the way I always buy it here, in 453 gram bags. It tastes fresh and it’s easy to portion out what’s needed and just reseal the bag. I use a plastic clothespin.

    Thin, it was actually about 3.5 years ago that you invited me over to this forum. I looked back and saw that I discovered 5.2 In May of 2017. It seems longer ago than that. I remember also asking about Vegemite and you telling me it tasted like axel grease or something like that. 😁.

    Good afternoon, it is Sunday fastday for me,

    I have been watching ‘May’s kitchen’ which is not a good thing to do on a fast day afternoon, too mouthwatering.
    I had seen the ads for it, LJoyce, and set my machine to record the series, but then was disappointed in the first one as I learnt nothing, and cancelled the recording. So I am very pleased that you wrote about it. I loved the episodes on Yemen and the Gulf states. As you say, cuisines we know so little about. I’m looking forward to seeing more.

    Anzac, I do hope you are in your pool.
    Scary to see that fire in Sydney’s north.
    Lindsay, how are you surviving this weather?
    Quacka, I hope you are lurking, keeping cool, and had a wonderful birthday.
    Intesha, have you found a new place to live yet. Hoping you and your dad are keeping cool.

    Oops I didn’t even manage to do my list yesterday, but I did realise that I hadn’t been drinking quite enough water to keep myself properly hydrated so I am catching up on that and getting a bit of oomph back.

    My pie does taste great, especially as I managed to heat some crust up under the grill, and warmed the middle bit separately. Not pretty, but delicious. I will have another serve tomorrow.

    Cali, I do prefer to buy fresh corn and cut it straight off the cob, but frozen corn would be MUCH better than tinned creamed corn! I am glad I used it up though.

    Thin has so many good qualities, Cali, but she is a total disaster when it comes to vegemite! 😉

    LJoyce, what a treat to pick your first two zucchini. They will taste so good, fresh from the garden.

    Now it is 2 pm I am cooking a big serve of non starchy veg to keep me going through the afternoon. Then soup this evening. My last scrape of miso. On my list to get more!

    Best wishes to all of you precious people.

    Cinque, ha ha. Next we’ll have the kiwis weighing in on Promite or whatever their particular brand of axle grease is called. Can’t imagine what those good qualities might be, I wouldn’t say I displayed many on here.

    Anzac, you’re all backwards – with Mr A. gone, this is your opportunity NOT to feel pressured to eat! No excuses! Brilliant idea to break it in to smaller goals because 20kg sounds so daunting. Get the first 5 knocked off and you’re on your way. I’m here waiting for news of your progress.

    Yes, take my advice – I’m not using it! OH talked me into a pizza last night. It was the first time I’d had one in over 6 years. I didn’t have any dairy products on it though, Neil. I can’t handle the way he eats shared food, (OH, not Neil) it’s like a feeding frenzy and I find myself trying to compete when I don’t want to. It was as if he’d scored a real coup. I do admit it was very tasty but I couldn’t believe the price. It made G’day’s butcher sound cheap. I won’t be having another one for another 6 years and hurray that today’s a FD.

    We’re now in the marina and have mixed feelings about that. We came in for services last week and the manager said we may as well stay now we’re in, which was kind. He’d already given us a gate fob so we could use the facilities. It’s good not to have to worry about battery power and to have a nearby alternate toilet while ours gets repaired. The people are all very cordial and the Christmas lights on the boats reflecting on the water are making it look cheery (I never mention the C word until December so I can’t put ours up yet) but I miss our expansive view across to the castle and the glorious sunsets. I felt despondent the first night so, to cheer myself up, I booked two cheap flights to the Canary Islands. Just something to pin hopes on – but if we can’t get vaccinated in time, it’s not a lot of money to lose.

    Have a wonderful day everyone. Next year is going to be fabulous.

    Just posting to say “HI”, I’m still around. No time to post, because it’s already 11:30 p.m. – it’s taken over an hour to catch up on all your posts – and because it ended up raining buckets last Sunday night and early Monday morning, the plumbers cancelled (I had already arisen at 6:30 a.m., to receive their text soon after 7 a.m., darn!) and re-scheduled for tomorrow morning, which will mean another really early morning for me.

    The plan is to be back with some kind of sensible responses tomorrow evening. And no, I didn’t get 5 transcripts done, just an additional one, but progress has been made, and I’m finally settling into a study pattern which works for me.

    For now, goodnight all, catch you tomorrow! 🙂

    Morena everyone

    Day 15, halfway through the Whole30 programme. I have DEFINITELY lost weight. One guy at frisbee golf asked how much weight I’d dropped in the last 2 weeks because he could really see it in my face and neck. Now I REALLY want to get on the scales. My cravings have changed, I don’t really crave sweet stuff anymore, now I crave savoury stuff, I’m dying to eat some popcorn or toast, that could mean that I’m not getting enough carbs so I might have to cook up another pot of potatoes tonight with dinner. Either my body isn’t demanding that sugar hit it kept getting before going through the sugar withdrawal, or I’m getting enough natural sugars with the fresh strawberries I’ve been eating last week.

    I have been going a bit stir crazy this week though because through either poor weather or being too busy I haven’t been able to get out for a ride for 5 days now and I won’t be able to get out for one tomorrow either, so I’m hanging out to go for a big ride and wear out my legs.

    Thin, did your OH come from a large family? I came from a family of 6 and dinner times were “first in, best fed” so we all got into the habit of eating really fast. I wouldn’t beat yourself up too much about the pizza if it’s just a 1 off. Even the gym rats allow themselves a “cheat day” once in a while, it’s actually good for your metabolism to have a big eating day now and then.

    Betsy, I hope things go more smoothly for you now you’re into a good study pattern.

    Cinque, the pie does sound good. I love cornbread but tend to look for recipes that aren’t American as all theirs seem to be loaded with sugar.

    Ljoyce and Anzac, 40 degrees does sound too hot, maybe we can average out our temperatures and we’d both be comfortable. It’s been pretty cool over here for this time of year, mid to late teens with the occasional day up in the 20s. We’ve also been getting strong winds which usually we only get in September and October and then they’ve settled by this time of the year.

    Cali, Marmite/vegemite is definitely one of those love it or hate it foods, I tend to quite like it, it’s great on a cheese toastie.

    Well have a great one everyone and hi to everyone I’ve missed and to those reading the posts but not posting.

    Neil, this programme is working well for you. When others comment on your weight loss, you know it’s happening. You’re so right, feast and famine. I won’t be having pizza again for a long time. My OH does have a huge family but he was actually raised as an only child as his siblings are all a generation older from his parents’ previous marriages. So no excuses there. I’ve spent a lot of time analysing my own ‘issues’ surrounding food (as have a lot of us on this thread) and I don’t believe his are that dissimilar. Less identifiable because he’s never gained an ounce since high school. I know how you feel when you can’t get your exercise fix. Not that I do anything like your level but we do walk for several hours each day, rain or shine.

    CalifD, I’ve just read an item about, ‘The Crown’ in which its writer and producers state that it’s a work of fictional drama. This of course gives them licence to deviate from the facts without outcry. Even knowing this, I find that given that all the other attention to detail, it’s hard not to think of it as being grounded in truth. I was also relieved that there’ll only be one more series so we’ll be spared the Markle era.

    The moving date slipped until 8 Jan and we relaxed. This morning we had a phone call changing it to 17 Dec. We are packing madly and surrounded by boxes and confusion. I am doing chemo and a CT scan next week, which will take three days out, so time is tight and we are going to be busy. You may not hear from me until the move is accomplished! At least we might be in the new place and unpacked for Christmas.

    Good morning,

    I’m making my daughter’s birthday dinner today. A full day army manouevre since I am so slow with everything and want to get it all to their place as fresh and hot as possible. Nice simple food I have made before, so I am feeling confident (at the moment).

    But taking time to drink my coffee and catch up with you.

    Sunday fast day was good, my waist is half an inch smaller this week, 5:2 is wonderful.

    Penguin, omg I am so sorry moving day didn’t stay 8th January. Good luck! Sending so many good wishes that it all goes easily.

    Thin, good take on Anzac’s weekend.

    Anzac, it was not a time to sneakily do all the disgusting things you try not to do with Mr Anzac around! Listen to your friends on the forum!

    Re Christmas, my nieces are impressing me. One has the whole thing organised before December starts, because she grew up with a mum who did everything last minute and Christmas was always stressful and her mum never really enjoyed it. So my niece has tree up, decorations done, presents wrapped.
    Another niece is doing a version of the advent calendar for her two young children where she has a pile of 24 books wrapped up in a wonderful tall pile. Some are new books, some are from their bookshelf, but what fun for the kids to start the day opening the book on top of the pile.

    Pizza. My consumption has gone way down. I probably made it every fortnight when my daughter was growing up. And also had takeaway. Once every 6 years sounds good to me.

    Welcome to the marina, but I can imagine how you miss the sunsets and castle. Fingers crossed you get your trip to the Canary Islands.

    Betsy Woot! One transcript down and Woot! Woot! for a study pattern that works for you. I do hope it allows a post today.

    Neil, you definitely have lost weight. And I love that it is making you feel so good. We don’t need much sugar do we? Strawberries and some root vegetables and we are good. But given the huge gulf between the amount of energy you expend and the amount I expend… I probably don’t need any strawberries and root vegetables at all. (Indulgences!).

    That popcorn and bread will taste amazingly sweet when you get your first taste post Whole30!

    Re cornbread, I found the recipe with the least sugar added, and then left it out. Haha. I can’t remember if the corn-pone pie recipe had any in to begin with, or not.

    I have been smiling at my INDULGENCES sign on my fridge as I think it is doing the trick. Hooray.

    Sending best wishes,
    Lindsay I miss you, I hope you and Mr Lindsay are okay.
    Hello to the lurkers,
    Fast day for me tomorrow
    Ciao

    Good morning all, and thank you for the call-out Cinque. You have reminded me I’ve been MIA

    We are on the island, escaping Brisbane’s 40 degree temps forecast for mid-week.
    Hasn’t it been terrible in the southern states? Hope you’ve all coped.

    I have been reading but not posting, and I won’t go back so excuse me if I forget something or someone. It’s not intentional.

    Cinque, how lovely you are back in the swing with Rose and the children. Birthdays, Christmas. Victoria is amazing. And hurrah for organisation….a quality I lack in great big bunches. Next year will be different (haha).

    I have been organising Mr Lindsay’s special big birthday treat ….a night away in a heritage house in Toowoomba (a place he loves) with the DD, DS, partners and kids. It’s been quite a feat, getting somewhere nice to stay. Despite border closures and the like, tourist accommodation is packed to the rafters. Also some impressive white lie telling to explain why Rosy and Davy (DD’s springer) are going to the kennels on the morning we go away (both being clipped, OH has been told).

    My weight loss has slowed, after my impressive start, but I am still plodding on. I was late getting to my birthday target (and why wouldn’t I have missed it, with such a round of meals and celebrations!) but got on the horse immediately afterwards and have now reached it and a little more. So, 7 kilos down, and hopefully a bit more before we go away Saturday week.

    Neil, your program sounds like it is really doing you the world of good, and how impressive to have people notice all over again that you are slimming. I admire your control, not jumping on the scales. Well done.

    Penguin, too much stress and changing deadlines can’t be good. Are you getting help with the packing and moving? I guess your family can’t help much, with the UK’s Covid lockdowns? I hope the chemo blip is sorted for you. Best wishes.

    Good for you, Thin, booking a trip to the Canary Islands. Who knows when the vaccines will reach us all, but so good to have something to look forward to. Your marina sounds a good compromise for your travelling life, just for the time being.

    Betsy, how frustrating your plumbing has turned out to be. But good that you are making progress with the transcripts. Plough on! Think of the sigh of relief, when you finally finish the last one. It will feel great.

    Yum, fresh zucchini LJ. So nice to have food from the garden. What is the bush in the final pic? Are you keeping well?

    Calif, I missed happy thanksgiving, but here’s a late message of good wishes. Your pics are very pretty – and wow, that lemon! Not long now til you have an adult back in the White House, and how good that will be. Hopefully with a combination of safer covid practices and vaccines, the US can start to recover. In the meantime, stay safe.

    Anzac, small targets are the way to go. Five, then 10, and you’ll be on such a roll the next 10 will fall off. Two kilos a month is very manageable to get to October looking great. As they say, eyes on the prize.

    Jony how’s your program going? Finding it all slipping into place and becoming habitual?

    I’ve been reading about rhubarb from many different posts – is that something I could grow in the tropics?

    OK Rosy has just gone into the bedroom where OH is have a post tea and toast nap, and has nicked a pair of my trousers. She’s only cuddling up with them, but (a) I don’t want them covered in red hairs, and (b) it’s such a short step from cuddling with my clothes, to using them as a playmate.

    And it’s time for breakfast ….16 hours since my very late lunch yesterday (I’m not counting the G & T I had for dinner)

    Sorry for all I’ve missed. Best wishes all.

    Good morning all, and thank you for the call-out Cinque. You have reminded me I’ve been MIA

    We are on the island, escaping Brisbane’s 40 degree temps forecast for mid-week.
    Hasn’t it been terrible in the southern states? Hope you’ve all coped.

    I have been reading but not posting, and I won’t go back so excuse me if I forget something or someone. It’s not intentional.

    Cinque, how lovely you are back in the swing with your sisters, Rose and the children. Birthdays, Christmas. Victoria is amazing. And hurrah for organisation….a quality I lack in great big bunches. Next year will be different (haha).

    I have been organising Mr Lindsay’s special big birthday treat ….a night away in a heritage house in Toowoomba (a place he loves) with the DD, DS, partners and kids. It’s been quite a feat, getting somewhere nice to stay. Despite border closures and the like, tourist accommodation is packed to the rafters. Also some impressive white lie telling to explain why Rosy and Davy (DD’s springer) are going to the kennels on the morning we go away (both being clipped, OH has been told).

    My weight loss has slowed, after my impressive start, but I am still plodding on. I was late getting to my birthday target (and why wouldn’t I have missed it, with such a round of meals and celebrations!) but got on the horse immediately afterwards and have now reached it and a little more. So, 7 kilos down, and hopefully a bit more before we go away Saturday week.

    Neil, your program sounds like it is really doing you the world of good, and how impressive to have people notice all over again that you are slimming. I admire your control, not jumping on the scales. Well done.

    Penguin, too much stress and changing deadlines can’t be good. Are you getting help with the packing and moving? I guess your family can’t help much, with the UK’s Covid lockdowns? I hope the chemo blip is sorted for you. Best wishes.

    Good for you, Thin, booking a trip to the Canary Islands. Who knows when the vaccines will reach us all, but so good to have something to look forward to. Your marina sounds a good compromise for your travelling life, just for the time being.

    Betsy, how frustrating your plumbing has turned out to be. But good that you are making progress with the transcripts. Plough on! Think of the sigh of relief, when you finally finish the last one. It will feel great.

    Yum, fresh zucchini LJ. So nice to have food from the garden. What is the bush in the final pic? Are you keeping well?

    Calif, I missed happy thanksgiving, but here’s a late message of good wishes. Your pics are very pretty – and wow, that lemon! Not long now til you have an adult back in the White House, and how good that will be. Hopefully with a combination of safer covid practices and vaccines, the US can start to recover. In the meantime, stay safe.

    Anzac, small targets are the way to go. Five, then 10, and you’ll be on such a roll the next 10 will fall off. Two kilos a month is very manageable to get to October looking great. As they say, eyes on the prize.

    I’ve been reading about rhubarb from many different posts – is that something I could grow in the tropics?

    OK Rosy has just gone into the bedroom where OH is have a post tea and toast nap, and has nicked a pair of my trousers. She’s only cuddling up with them, but (a) I don’t want them covered in red hairs, and (b) it’s such a short step from cuddling with my clothes, to using them as a playmate.

    And it’s time for breakfast ….16 hours since my very late lunch yesterday (and I’m not counting the G & T I had for dinner)

    Sorry for all I’ve missed. Best wishes all.

    Afternoon everyone

    Well I have a new member of my family arriving today. I bit the bullet and bought myself a new bike. It’s a decent road bike to replace my current ride which is an old-school mountain bike with slick tyres on. I’ll definitely be looking for any chance to put some miles on that bad boy. 1st December today so I’m starting the 100k to Christmas challenge, I plan on heading out at lunchtime for an hour.

    Penguin, great to hear from you, sorry you have to rush on the packing, but as you say, at least you should be all in and settled in the new place for Christmas.

    Lindsay, well done on 7kg down, I hope you enjoy your little getaway. I love the Aussie place names. Toowoomba is such a fun word to say.

    And more success, Cinque, down half an inch in a week is a great result!

    Thin, walking is great, I enjoy it more than riding, the only issue I have with it is you can’t get as far and see as much as you can on the bike. WIth this 100k to Christmas challenge I’ll be doing a bit more walking than I otherwise would have, so it will be a nice change from biking.

    Well have a great day people and keep on shrinking

    https://imgur.com/itdkIAE
    https://imgur.com/j7j0Vrx
    https://imgur.com/Jt6aTi6

    Kia ora, everyone! I’ve been busy lately – much busier than when I was working! I’ve joined the executive of my writing group and also started learning how to self-publish books for the world market, have been spending lots of time with my 4 grandies and started working on the base for the Xmas trampoline my wife bought for the two boys (aged 1 and 4). I’m so thrilled younger daughter finally has her own home (with her hubby). She is being mentored by her uncle and auntie, who are garden whizzes, and it’s great to see her taking an interest in plants.

    I’ve also been organising a Xmas ride for our senior mountain biking group for Dec 12 and to that end I went for a ride this arvo on the planned 30km course. The pix show Macandrew Bay (artificial) beach beside Otago Peninsula, spectacular Highcliff Rd, described by Lonely Planet as one of the world’s top 10 bike rides (I had to climb 300 vert m to get to this road, near tourist magnet Larnach Castle), and rugged Karetai Track, looking back to Dunedin City. We’ll be aiming for St Clair Beach in the distance, just under the big hill (not the volcano lookalike). Our Xmas party will be on the beach, weather gods willing.

    Not sure whether Neil will join us on his lovely new bike for the Xmas ride – I don’t think he’d be keen to take it down Karetai Track, as it’s pretty rough and demands a bike with full suspension. Tip for Neil – buy a really good bike lock, one thieves can’t open with bolt-cutters.

    Obviously everyone else has been busy, too, with some impressive weight losses notched up. This morning my scales hovered around the fabled 100kg mark before settling for 100.4kg, so it’s just around the corner. I might have to splash out on another bottle of Asti, as I opened the other one too soon! I’m now into my 10th week of 5:2 and am sticking to the rules on my fast days – Mon and Thurs. I’m now starting to look for ways of cutting back on non-fasting days and it’s funny – I had some fried blue cod the other day (usually my favourite) and I didn’t really like the taste, so maybe my taste buds are changing? I would now rather eat blue cod baked in the oven with nothing on it apart from a little lemon juice.

    Oh well, time for bed. After my hilly 30km bike ride, my legs are telling me they want to lie down. Yes, I do ride an e-bike but I’ve still got to pedal it. As yu get older, an e-bike allows one to keep riding, whereas in the past I would have defected to lawn bowls at 60, probably.

    Keep up the great work, troops! – John

    Good morning all from a nicely cooler Sydney

    Welcome to Summer southerners and welcome to Winter Cali, Thin and Penguin.

    Those pics are great John, they remind me of the hills around Kiama down the South Coast of NSW. It sounds like retirement is very busy for you which is great. I am envious as I dream of retirement but I’m only 54 (55 in just over a week) so it’s a bit early I suppose. And you are soooo close to the magic double figures! Any day now

    Neil I reckon you will be in the mid 80’s by the time you finish your challenge. Whoo hoo!

    Something has clicked for me too, I suddenly have the motivation back that I had last year. I don’t think I will make my challenge of 5 kilos by Christmas, but I will definitely be in the 80’s again.

    How dreadful is it when the temps reach 40 degrees Lindsay? Glad you could escape to the Island. At least Rosy only cuddles her prizes, Maxx puts holes in them immediately. He rarely does it now but funnily enough OH just caught him with two paws up on the couch with his singlet in his mouth. So we aren’t quite there yet. However I have had tea-towels hanging on the oven door for over a week now and they are still intact. Yay! Such fun and so lovely to organise a surprise for your hubby’s special birthday. I can’t wait to hear all about it.

    Cinque, half an inch in a week! Awesome. I hope your daughters birthday dinner went well and the preparation didn’t tire you out too much. Your nieces sound amazing and very organised and confident.

    Thin, how do you have a pizza without dairy? No cheese at all? It can’t have been too bad for you then. I do adore a good home-made pizza but being severely lactose intolerant it isn’t a good idea. I do have tablets that I can take to minimise the effects but I tend to just avoid them. How nice that you can still do a few hours walking each day despite the Covid restrictions. This is the beauty of your now way of life 🙂

    How stressful Penguin, just when you don’t need stress. I hope the packing and moving goes well and I hope the chemo blip is quickly sorted out.

    Work continues to be crazy but a little less so this week thankfully. Including today only 12 more work days until three wonderful weeks off. Next weekend (not this one, the next one) we have our gorgeous Hunter Valley trip where I am taking Friday and Monday off. Maxx is going to the local kennels where he will have a ball playing with other dogs for 4 days. We are staying at the lovely Cypress Lakes resort as my sister’s good friend has a villa there (or had, they sold it now – boo) and they give us a VERY good rate. About half of what the resort charges normally. There are several 5 star restaurants up there and we have two lovely lunches booked as well as a food and wine tour. It will be a blow-out for sure but if I really concentrate before and after hopefully the impact will be minimal.

    Ok, time to walk the pooch if the sad, brown eyes that are boring into the side of my head are anything to go by. Take care everyone

    Morena all

    Day 17 today, 2 more weeks and then I’ll be able to weigh myself and start introducing foods back in. I already know what I’m going to eat on dairy day. A nice bowl of seafood chowder and a flat white.

    Jony, The ride looks good, I’m used to going the other way, going up Highcliff Road and down Castlewood Road, it’s so much fun. I’m definitely not taking my new bike, it would be shaken to pieces. But my old bike is a mountain bike with slicks on, so I can just swap out the slicks for mountain bike tyres like I did when I rode the Central Otago trails and it should be ok. I don’t really need to get a bike lock because the DCC has a safe room for staff bikes in the library car park so I just park my bike in there.

    Anzac, I hear you on the busy work schedule, things have gone nuts here at work too. Things should calm down after the 15th December when they close off LIM applications, but until then we’re flat stick. I hope you have a great break, I have to wait until after Christmas for mine, but we’re taking the boys off camping down to Riverton. A lovely little town right down the bottom of the country (you can even see Stewart Island on a clear day)

    Took my new bike for a burn after spending 10 minutes trying to work out how to change gears (a confusing system where the gear lever changes the gears down but you have to push the whole brake lever sideways to change back up the gears) It is FAST! I used to average 18-19 kph on my old bike with the mountain bike tyres on, then 21-22 kph when I changed to slick tyres, this morning I averaged 31 kph! I just about pooped my pants going down the big hill I was travelling so quickly and I was almost keeping up with traffic going along the flat. Really enjoying it.

    Well have a great one everyone

    Good morning,
    I had a lovely time cooking yesterday and got it all to my daughter’s nice and ready to eat.

    I have to clarify that the half inch from my waist didn’t go in a week, and I can’t remember when I measured my waist last, maybe three weeks ago? But I am just so happy to see that belly getting smaller.

    Lindsay, so happy to see your post and to hear that you are all on the island with the cool island breezes.
    Mr Lindsay’s birthday retreat sounds just gorgeous, what a wonderful birthday surprise it will be.

    Hooray for slogging on even though the weight loss is slowing. The new habits are getting imprinted on your brain and that will stand you in good stead!

    Neil, welcome to your new bike, goodness it goes fast! No wonder walking seems terribly slow to you.
    Seafood chowder and a flat white is such a perfect way to reintroduce dairy, won’t you enjoy it.
    Good luck with that busy busy work.

    Jony you are so busy! And you are so so close to getting under that 100kg! We will all celebrate with you when you get into two digit kgs!

    My taste buds have changed so much through my weight loss. All toward appreciating healthier food and needing so much less rubbish food, I am glad to say. The last time I had a packet of chips I remember thinking “How disappointing that tastes, I won’t do that again. ”

    Anzac, I am sure you have told us before that you are lactose intolerant, but it didn’t stick in my brain. I am so sorry that such a cheese lover is unable to enjoy it. Do any of the vegan cheeses taste good?

    Hooray for those holidays coming up, you deserve a good break. And hooray hooray for your motivation coming back. Ride that wave!
    And when you do get to the magnificent resort and eat in all the 5 star restaurants you will be lovely and mindful and enjoy every bite to the full, and find out that the blow out doesn’t need to happen as much as it has before.

    I’m having a very slow day today, but I have changed my fast day to tomorrow (I am always struggling deciding whether to go with Wednesday or Thursday). Miso the cat will be annoyed, but it will work out well for me. So today is another of my new beautifully frugal days.

    Betsy I do hope the plumbing is all done now!

    LJoyce, is your lung infection gone?

    Best wishes everyone.

    Good evening all. I had a busy day up in the hills, with appointments and helping my aunts do some errands.

    Cinque, yes my lung infection is gone (I hope), hence my absence from post for a couple of days. Once allowed out of the house I was keep to make up for lost time!
    I hope you enjoy your lovely slow day. I’m sure Miso will forgive you for making her wait until tomorrow – she’ll enjoy it even more with the anticipation.

    Anzac, I do remember you telling us you were lactose intolerant. I did have the same query as Cinque though – have you tried the vegan cheeses? They are so easy to buy these days but I haven’t tried them due to the high cost – especially as I am not lactose intolerant and it would just be to satisfy my curiosity.
    It sounds like you have some lovely plans to look forward to.

    Thin, that’s a brave purchase – the Canary Islands! I hope it all works out.

    Neil & John, I saw the oddest sight on yesterday’s walk. A man was cycling towards me on what I first assumed was a penny farthing, given how high he was elevated. As he passed however, it was actually just a normal bike frame that had another frame added to the top raising the final height by more than another metre – I have no idea how you’d get onto something like that.

    Lindsay, I hope you are having a lovely relaxing time on the island. Wonderful weight loss – it slows for all of us, so that is quite normal.
    Excellent telling of white lies to hide MrLs birthday surprise!

    Penguin, I don’t envy you the ever changing moving date (very different to here, where the settlement date is the day you have to hand over the keys and it’s part of the binding purchase contract, so no surprises). I hope all the boxes get packed in time and you are settle for christmas.

    Betsy, I hope the plumbing saga has finally wrapped up for you. I’m glad you have managed to get settled into a study pattern that works for you. It’s a difficult task when you have to be self-motivating like this.
    I always found studying at home more challenging than when I worked from home – when I was working I was being paid and I owed them an honest days work. Study was different as it was my choice and the consequences of not doing it would be only mine to bear.

    I have had a bad couple of weeks with overeating and craving unhealthy treats. I think the pattern started with our short shut down, which was followed just a few days later with my period of home isolation while I got over the lung infection. Being stuck at home without enough distractions has me on an endless loop of walking to the fridge or pantry looking for more food. I’m sure I’ve gained a little weight, but haven’t gotten onto the scales as I don’t want to react badly to the number. I have reminded myself that if I have to cut 7,700 calories to lose a kilo the reverse is also true. So however much I may have gained, I doubt that any more than a kilo would be body fat and the added water retention is irrelevant and easily lost.
    Despite knowing I would have lunch at a cafe with my aunt today, I decided it had to be a FD800. I manged to find a low cal option on the menu and have kept to the 800cal today. I’ve planned out the next week of meals and shopped for them on the way home – big on veg and fruit.

    Hello to everyone else, have a good evening.

    LJ, good food choices, well done. Fitting 800cal days into life and making it work. Canary Islands now looking vaguely possible as the UK becomes the first place to give approval to one of the vaccines. If not, it was so cheap that we don’t mind losing the money – self-insuring against despair! The outbound flight is now selling at over £200 more than I paid. Does anyone know of any good respirator style masks suitable for flying? I gather the budget airlines aren’t overly bothered about enforcing mask rules.

    Cinque, great naturally shaped response to a bag of chips. It’s been years since I’ve even looked at a chip. It takes a long, long time to undo these food behaviours so well done.

    Anzac, so pleased that you’re motivated and ready for the 80s. I was being silly as Neil had given a list of foods (all forbidden to me) on which he missed having dairy. The pizzas OH chose had nothing on them but foods associated with bowel cancer. I was going to spare you that detail.

    Neil, I hope that bike gives you great happiness. OH was an avid biker and misses his bike. He agrees with your sentiments about how far one can get on a bike vs walking. He’s been wanting an e-scooter since we saw them in Barcelona but they’re forbidden on towpaths so not much use to us.

    Jony, grrr, I can’t open your imgur photos. I must look into that new problem. You’ve just shattered my long-held perception of kiwis being the most honest people on the planet. Stealing bikes using bolt cutters?

    Penguin, what a lot of additional hassle with the buyers chopping and changing their minds about moving dates. You seem to be handling it all so calmly.

    Lindsay, I enjoyed reading two long posts from you the other day – I can’t remember a thing you wrote though.

    We couldn’t find anyone to fix the broken toilet so OH took it apart himself and repaired it over two days. Not a nice job but I’m so proud of him. The macerator had become caked in lime scale and calcium deposit. Our new neighbours are really friendly – on one side they have three enormous concrete gnomes on the bow deck and the guy on the other side is a rastafarian. Next to him is a lovely, recently divorced man whose wife got the house while he got the boat. Unexpectedly, we have more narrow boating experience than all of them.

    I put our Xmas lights up yesterday. And for a little added privacy in this squishy temporary domain called a marina, I bought some tacky window Santa and snowmen decals that just fit nicely in the portholes letting in light. OK, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

    Morning all

    Thin, I think most are pretty trustworthy. I never lock my car, mostly don’t lock my house, my bikes are stored in an open garage at home and I’ve never lost anything to theft, but there are always some bad eggs that ruin it for everyone. Great to see you gearing up for Christmas with the decorations. Our neighbours are competing for who has the most Christmas lights on their houses at the moment, we must look like Ebenezer Scrooge because our house in between them has absolutely nothing.

    Ljoyce, great you’re over your infection and able to get out and about again. I’ve seen one of those bikes riding through the middle of Dunedin too. I have no idea how you get on one either but it looks like fun.

    Cinque, good luck with your fast day today. I’m not fasting at the moment on the whole 30 they recommend not fasting when you’re restricting the food groups you’re eating. But I might throw in a sneaky fast day on the last day of my whole30 journey so I can get the best number possible on the scales. My last big temptation will be my anniversary dinner with my wife of 18 years on day 29 (14th December) I really don’t want to fall at the last hurdle so I’ll have to find a restaurant that can cook me some plain food.

    I had an interesting find on my walk yesterday. I was walking through Frasers reserve and I found some pieces of old pottery half buried in the ground, It was one of those beautiful old blue and white willow pattern style pottery. Serendipitously the piece I found had the makers mark and pottery registration number on it so I could look it up online, and it turned out that it came from a beautiful old coffee pot from 1920. I’ll post the link to it this evening.

    Have a great one everyone

    Good morning,
    Thursday fast day for me, and LJoyce you are right, Miso the cat survived perfectly well! 😀

    LJoyce, sympathy for those couple of bad weeks. I can well imagine the lockdown set it off.
    In spite of being comparatively housebound anyway, I found lock down a real knock to my sense of wellbeing, that I couldn’t do things I wanted to do, and it set off those emotional childhood reactions, where food was my only solace.
    I am so glad you have picked yourself up and had your 800cal day. I hope today is an easy one.
    Good maths! Yikes 7,700 calories to lose a kilo! Well, I’m counting.

    Thin, nice to think of your Christmas lights reflecting on the water at the marina. Your neighbours sound fun.
    Well done Mr Thin fixing the broken toilet.
    So true re the chips… it does take a long long time, but I get there in the end.
    Good luck finding the right mask for the plane.

    Neil good plan for your wedding anniversary, I bet you have a wonderful night celebrating 18 years. Haha slave to the scales, but a final fast day will certainly underline the results of your months work.

    What a pretty find, that piece of pottery. I love the blue and white of old willow pattern.

    Well it is a sunny day today and my lettuce seedlings still need some coddling so I will scamper out to protect them as the sun moves across the garden.
    I am going to make a big pot of soup with some very nice stock and all the bits and pieces I can find that are fast day friendly. And I am going to tidy at least three things from my desk!

    Sending lots of best wishes to all of you for a good day today.

    Morning from a hot old Queensland. We are loving being on the island…low tide falls mid-afternoon, so we just oozle around doing not much at all until the heat is off then head out for a few hours at the off-leash beach. It’s quite long – it used to take me a round 40 minute walk, pre-Rosy – and with changing tides and sand, a lagoon has formed between the beach and the bush so we walk along the surf beach, around the lagoon and back. Rose swims in the still water and the surf, and chases seagulls to her heart’s content. This pic is late afternoon, looking up the lagoon, bush to the left, surf to the right.
    https://imgur.com/a/dD052BL

    Good news Anzac that Maxx is settling to the point where you can leave teatowels. That will be us soon. Won’t it? (she says, optimistically). In the meantime, leave the laundry door open, and this is the result. https://imgur.com/kuoyd9i

    Jony, I’ve heard retirees say often that they don’t know how they found the time to go to work. Great to have the time to explore all your interests.

    Your troubles finding gears reminds me of a trip to Dublin a couple of years ago. I’d picked up a hire car, got lost and stuck going the wrong way up a ‘trams only’ lane, tried a u turn and couldn’t quite make it, but just couldn’t find reverse. Stuck, with trams coming in both directions. A couple of very amused garda helped me out.

    What a find, Neil. Looking forward to seeing the pic.

    LJ it is so easy to let ill-health and isolation to push us out of our routines, no matter how well-established. I think you are right though ….get it off, before it becomes ‘real’ by showing up on the scales.

    I gave up my low-carb routine yesterday, just for a day. I was sick to death of the high protein brunch I was having, but I also felt a little unwell. I had a poached egg and two slices of wholegrain toast….egg on half a slice, other half with promite, half with home made marmalade, and the other with my fine honey. Because of the heat, we went out for lunch yesterday, something we rarely do here. So, off to the Little Ships Club, which is on the water with a very large garden, is dog friendly and had a wonderful sea breeze. Grilled whiting wth chips and salad and a big jug of iced water. Usually with chips, I can take or leave them, but the meal needed something extra, and I chose to eat them and balance it out later. I compensated by dropping dinner, and I was down 100 grams this morning.

    Anzac, one thing about 5 star restaurants is that they usually have a great range that makes it easier to make good choices. How wonderful your getaway sounds.

    Cinque I am sure you will post just after I hit ‘submit’, so good morning to you and nice to have your cooking done and delivered, and a good FD under your belt.

    happy day all.

    Good morning fellow fasters.
    Today was the first since Sunday when I didn’t need an alarm to get me up early for appointments. Did my body take advantage of the opportunity to sleep in? No such luck, I was awake at 6:30.

    I think my body is giving me clear messages about cleaning up my act, with regard to eating and drinking choices. I awoke with a raging thirst – I have clearly allowed myself to become dehydrated. Lots of water needed today.
    Today’s food plan is light and simple: fresh fruits for lunch and grilled chicken and a green salad for dinner. I have babysitting this afternoon which should keep me out of my own kitchen for a while – unfortunately I have to avoid the bigger pile of snack foods at my nephew’s place!

    I have created a monster! After mentally encouraging the zucchini plants to produce more a couple of weeks ago, I now wish they’d slow down. I’m picking 2-3 each day. Even picking them when small and crisp it’s far more than I can handle. My neighbours are going to get sick of zucchini!

    Lindsay, I’m surprised you ever want to return to Brisbane, with a view like that from your island home.
    I forgot to answer your question in yesterday’s post. The final veggie garden picture was broad beans. The main harvest finished a few weeks ago, but I left in a few plants with bean pods still on them to dry off – so I can collect seed for next year. I don’t collect seed from most veggie plants, although it’s so easy with the legumes that I do collect those. I also let the soft herbs, like parsley and coriander, self seed.

    Neil, interesting find – did it have you wondering how on earth it came to be there?
    I have a lot of blue and white china – it’s a real favourite of mine. Here’s the proof: https://imgur.com/a/ayUkJXW The floral china was my grandmothers, and a small dessert set of old blue & white willow. It was that that started my love of blue and white chine and I bought a lot of pieces (mostly spode) gradually over the years.

    Thin, excellent that you have such a talented OH. I’m brave enough to tackle a lot of minor house repairs, but dismantling a toilet is definitely not one of them. The moment it involves electrical or plumbing I call the experts – I know my limitations.

    Cinque, hope the FD goes well. I’m sure you’ll have Miso pestering you for her treat all afternoon.

    I think it’s time for a morning walk now.
    Have a good day.

    Well here are the shards of pottery I found

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/43493775@N06/50674963406/in/dateposted-public/

    One piece seems to be from a separate item because it’s thinner and brighter in colour. This is what the registration number on the back of one of the shards pointed to

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-Furnivals-Ltd-Blue-White-Old-Chelsea-Pottery-Coffee-Pot-Reg-No-647812-/313121332344

    And then this evening I was walking back this way and I found this half buried in the ground

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/43493775@N06/50674215398/in/dateposted-public/

    It looks like an old medicine bottle, I washed it and I’ll pit it up on the mantle with the 120 year old ointment pot I found at the Chingford Park reserve a couple of years ago.

    Neil, what an interesting shape of coffee pot. That bottle definitely looks like an old pharmacy bottle to me (I think they used to be stoppered with corks).
    Maybe you need to take a garden trowel with you next time – to have a dig around for more unusual finds!

    My very restrained eating day went quite well. My appetite was very manageable until I put the chicken under the grill (a small whole butterflied chicken with a greek marinade). The aroma had me salivating and I really didn’t want to stop at the portion I’d served up. I managed to get the leftovers in the fridge before they got eaten. Now I have cold chicken for the next few days which is excellent for easy meals.

    I found a tasty use for some of the zucchini. I made zucchini chips in the airfryer. I cut 3 zucchini into discs (about 4-5mm thick). Then they go into the airfryer and get a light spray with olive oil spray. I cooked them at 200C for about 18-20 minutes, checking and tossing them every 5 minutes to make sure they cook evenly. Some will be ready early (those that I accidentally cut too thin) and they are a welcome snack while you wait for the rest.
    I usually add a spice blend or at least salt to airfryer veggie crisps, but tonight I didn’t and found I didn’t need it either. I guess the flavour is concentrated once most of the moisture is gone. I had half of them tonight with the chicken and will reheat the rest tomorrow.

    It’s getting late and time I went to bed. It’s been a long day – I’m hoping I can manage to sleep in to a reasonable time tomorrow. I don’t like the early starts as my appetite usually kicks in earlier in the day and I find that harder to manage.

    Good morning,
    Yes, lovely Lindsay, my post would have popped up as soon as you pressed ‘submit’!
    What a paradise you are living in. Such a delicious day you gave yourself, which is exactly right when you give yourself a day’s break from low carb.

    LJoyce, what a relief to have a day without appointments. And a couple of extra hours in the morning to appreciate it 😉 😉 😉
    Your blue and white (and other patterned) china is lovely!
    Zucchini chips! Cool. I do wish you could push a few small fresh zucchini through the monitor in my direction, I’d take 6 and eat them with pleasure.
    Isn’t it lovely having things self seeding. I have parsley, marigolds, mizuna everywhere, but oh I wish I could get coriander self seeding. One day! I’m working on Neil’s tips, but oh dear, the hot weather is pretty well here.
    I hope today is a good day for you. Having that beautiful food to look forward to should make the waiting hours easier. (It works for me).

    It has been interesting thinking about your 7,700 calories a kilo, and thinking of the (nearly) seven kilos I put on in 4 years. That is about an extra 1,000 calories a month I was eating. 250 a week. Those indulgences!

    Guess what, Miso didn’t ask for dinner until about 7pm! I think her brain has compartments like mine, and she can have days when the Whiskas compartment is right at the front, and other times it goes to the bottom of the pile. She asked me for more this morning, but now she is somewhere outside in the sun, so I get some relief. 🙂

    Neil, such a pretty coffee pot! And a very nice bottle.

    I struggled through my fast day yesterday, I was overtired and that does make it hard. I did okay, but it wasn’t as fast as I like. I didn’t even make my soup. I have had a better sleep and am set for a few indulgence free days and then a lovely fasty Sunday!

    Today zoom sisters is in the late afternoon so I have the day to make soup, set off my kvass, look after the garden and maybe even get to the Asian grocery for a few staples. Hope your day is also full of lovely things. Best wishes.

    Good morning from a glorious sunny day in Sydney. 28 degrees today

    I am still doing my 800-1000 calorie days during the week and my weight is slowly coming down. I will easily reach my first goal of being in the 80’s by Christmas. Yay!

    Re cheese; I must have given the wrong impression. I actually dislike cheese unless it is melted on a pizza or a toasted sandwich and then I love it. If I put a piece of cheese in my mouth I would immediately gag and this has nothing to do with my lactose intolerance. I guess it’s physiological and yes, I know I’m weird!

    I just read a terrible statistic that someone dies from Covid every 30 seconds in America. It is so tragic – please stay safe Cali

    Sorry that you struggled yesterday Cinque, it’s not like you at all. Being tired plays absolute havoc, I know. Glad you had a better sleep last night.

    I hope you get to sleep in tomorrow LJ. We don’t have that luxury as Mr Maxx is an early riser. I don’t mind, I enjoy getting up early and I’ve been an early bird all my life too. I must admit I am REALLY looking forward to next weekend with meals that do not come with a side of labrador (and sans labrador hair), sleeping in if we like, bed linen and furniture that do not contain bits of dog hair. That said, we will miss him so much we will race to go and pick him up from the kennels when we get home.

    Neil, congrats on your upcoming anniversary. If it were me I would delay my anniversary dinner by a couple of days so you can at least have what you want to eat and enjoy a nice coffee afterwards.

    YES Lindsay, Rosy WILL settle down soon. 3 years is the apparent magic number and we definitely saw that with Maxx. His recall is our last big challenge and we are really making progress there too. The only time he completely ignores us now is when he is deep into a sniff. Mr Anzac is finally doing what I’ve been saying for the whole time: DO NOT call him unless you know he will come back. Otherwise you are reinforcing the fact that it is ok to ignore us. So now we wait until he lifts his head from one sniff in order to go to the next one and generally he come running to us. He even recalled from his best friend Margot the boxer this morning.

    I hope the plumbing is all sorted now Betsy and so glad you are making progress with your transcripts.

    Thin – fingers crossed for your trip to the Canary Islands

    I must run, the day is getting away as usual. Take care all

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