How dreadful B. Poor Wi.
I’ve never forgotten the Wahini…I won’t ever go on a boat on Cook Strait.
Sydney recorded the hottest April day ever yesterday, with 35+!!! I guess that rising hot air has caused your storms?
Still only enough rain here to send me dashing out to the washing, then it stopped!
I have just whipped up a low carb cauliflower soup (cauli,stock, leek, onion, garlic, butter, thyme and parmesan) Really yummy!
Take care my Kiwi mates. P

39 here today and 38 tomorrow no need to reach for the history books we are living history right now. Fabulous to see the 3 Aussie 10,000m runners wait for the last competitor to arrive and finish the race Australian long-distance runners Eloise Wellings, Madeline Hills and Celia Sullohern finished unplaced in last night’s 10,000m event at the Gold Coast but remained on the track minutes after their competitors had left.
The trio remained behind to wait for another of their competitors, Lineo Chaka from the small African nation of Lesotho, to cross the finish line five minutes behind the winner. Brought a tear to my eye.
RT

Hi all,

I’ve spent the morning at the gym for the first time in a couple of weeks. My cough is almost gone and I feel 100% although my legs needed the kiss of life after pushing myself hard to see how much I could do 😆
I tried out a new coffee shop that I noticed on my way in this morning. When the young woman served me she asked me if I would like a loyalty card and I said I would decide after I’d tasted the coffee. She said that was the first time anyone had said that to her 🙂

The coffee was excellent so I picked up a loyalty card as it’s definitely the best coffee in the vicinity.

I’m now watching the Commonwealth Games and it is tipping down in Brisbane. The track athletes won’t need a post race shower 😳
The sporting behaviour has been outstanding. I was watching a race in the pool and the last swimmer was almost a length behind the field but the crowd cheered him all the way to the finish. So refreshing to see 😀

FD went well yesterday and continuing the meat theme as I’m still craving it, I bought myself some steak and salad for dinner tonight.

The North African spiced lamb left from Sunday was turned into a delicious spicy shepherds pie with squash, carrot and sweet potato topping and there is enough for two more FD dinners.
The plan is ADF until I go away for the long weekend at the beginning of May, and gym 3 times a week plus some walking.

And as I mention walking the sun puts in an appearance. It has stayed dry so far today and I’m hoping it stays that way as we’ve had a lot of cold and wet since my return from Ecuador with only a couple of nice days here, and some warmth and sunshine would be much appreciated.

Really weird weather in Australia and NZ at the moment, but I guess it’s no more unusual than our winter lasting until April. Let’s hope it becomes more seasonal for all soon.

Have a good one everybody 😜

Hi Barata and Purple,
Just arrived from airport after a sporting flight across Cooks Strait in a tiny plane(6 passengers).
25 minutes of which the last 10 were into the southerly you were describing.
Children are in Motueka doing a skydive. Anxious parents are waiting to hear they’ve all arrived back on terra firma. your OH was at the airport, Barata, and will describe our windblown look. All ferries cancelled today and the swell below was spectacular.
It’s 50 years since our ferry ‘The Wahine’ sank in Wellington harbour. The storm today just reminds us we live on a fickle island, and understand the decision to cancel the ferries.
I hope to see you next week, Barata, professionally of course and for a coffee too.
Our kiddies leave on Saturday.
Will stop being absent then.
xxx

28 degrees…we had a fabulous, healthy Italian meal overlooking the beach, then a quick change into swimmers and a long stroll along the beach, including a swim. The water temp was lovely. It is such a bonus having weather like this in mid April. 🤗 P

🤣😃😄😅😆😉

Oh dear RT! Seems Aunt Carolyn needs to adopt 5:2!
Enjoy the footy tonight, hope you dont embarrass us too much…..

Oh Dear 33 points behind at the half time break the Pies far superior in every department so fast tonight Nama we will need divine intervention.

Thanks Amazon, still in the middle of an exciting game b/w RTs team and mine!
Enjoy Greenwich, hope the weather holds for you…its bucketing at Adelaide Oval!

Are you coming over to watch it live, RT?
Mr P was not pleased when the Bunnies flogged his Roosters this week 🤨😐

Hi all there has been plenty of rain here in South Australia and it was nice to hear rain water running into my rain water tanks no P I will be coaching from the couch again I plan to go to Adelaide Oval on the 28/7 to see Crows V Melb my 3rd son follows the Dee’s so that will be my live action fix.
Roast leg of lamb is on the dinner menu tonight with a roasted vegetable warm salad
with a garlic olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.
Happy Sunday Fast trackers

Pouring in Lorne Purple, hope it gets to you soon..the fires sound serious.
We just had morning tea at Bells Beach, watching a surfing comp..all those gorgeous young blokes in their wetsuits!
I am not cooking tonight but both menus sound yum!

Oh, snap,RT. Roast lamb for dinner last night, and my cousin’s place. Unfortunately I was not able to do justice to it, left some of even my small helping on the plate as I shivered with a fever. 12 hours’ sleep with a sleeping pill last night, but still very woozy today, enjoying lying in the glorious sun – yes, autumn has returned 🙂 OH will be cooking on his new bbq, he has no problems with the dark 🙂 Sausages and chicken drumsticks, and a salad if I can stir myself (or one of the lads).

That sounds dangerous, P. No rain to send this week 🙁

Thanks P!

Yes, another year older, but only a day older than I was yesterday so I don’t feel any different 😀

It looks like spring has finally sprung here. Not before time! Nice to be warm and see new life bursting out again.

The Sydney bushfires sound dreadful. We do get wildfires, often spring and autumn, but normally away from housing. ‘Youths’ often get the blame, and may be responsible in grassy areas near housing estates, but in the uplands when it’s vast tracts of semi-natural blanket bog and heather moorland, and particularly in spring, you could put money on it being a deliberate burn by game keepers of grouse shooting estates got out of control 😣

Morning/evening all,

Happy birthday to Happy and Wee 🍨🍷Ice cream for Wee and a glass of red for Happy 😉

I had a lovely day out yesterday. We went to Greenwich Park and visited the Observatory and the Planetarium. It’s the first time either of us (both Londoners) have been there and it was reslly interesting and enjoyable.
The park itself is very large and the Observatory sits on top of a small hill which affords great views across the river towards the city. We had a long leisurely walk in the park which has some vry ancient trees along its main paths. It also has a huge flower garden with a lake. There are numerous flower beds which were a riot of spring colour, thousands of daffodils, yulips, polyanthus, pansies etc and lots of blossom and new leaves on the various trees. There were several magnolias in full bloom along with lots of camelias and other early flowering shrubs.
It was quiet when we arrived at 11.30an but by 1pm there were hordes of people out and about and the large majority were Londoners rather than tourists. Many had been caught out by the weather and were carrying overcoats and scarves. It was a glorious day, clear blue sky and sunshine.

We then used the Greenwich foot tunnel to cross to the north side of the river and walked to Wapping to an old pub called the Prospect of Whitby which claims to be the oldest pub site in England, the first one being there since 1520 in the reign of Henry VIII. We’ve been there before and it is a nice old place with a good atmosphere, it sits right on the edge of the river and there are marvellous views.
We had a nice pub dinner and then came home feeling very happy and also rathr tried.

Jo,
Sorry to hear your news. I was thinking of you yeaterday as there was a Rock Choir performing in Greenwich by the entrance to the foot tunnel.

I’ve not heard of Soulful ready meals but would be unlikely to try them. I always have homemade meals in the freezer for days when I’m short on time or don’t feel like cooking.

I’ve eaten meat 6 days out of the last 7 after waking up last Sunday craving it!
Vegetarian dinner today though as I’ve got some lovely new season purple sprouting broccholi and am going to make HF-Ws spouffle using PSB instead of spinach and beans instead of pasta and serve it with extra PSB on the side 😀

Purple, I hope you get some rain very soon.

Have a good one everybody 😜

Jo,

There was a sizeable crowd listening to the choir and they sounded very good. We stopped for a very short time as we were in need of a cold drink and the surrounding pubs and cafes were all very crowded.
It was well over an hour before we got one as our destination was much farther away than we thought. It’s a couple of years since we last visited the place and we had arrived from the other direction, plus there is so much building going on in the area east of Canary Wharf we barely recognised parts of it!
I was definitely ready for a beer by the time we arrived and a leg and foot massage would have gone down well too 😆

It is cooler and overcast today but sunshine and warmer temperatures are forecast for the whole week. My aim is to find time for a walk every day.

Sorry to hear of another loss in your social circle, Jo. And yes, certainly a trip to Staglands can be on the calendar next summer. It’s been a few years since we went last, with grandchildren.

I love the idea of your walking under the Thames, Amazon. How long has that tunnel been there?

It wasn’t the food that was dark, P – but the night! Food was totally acceptable, even if I couldn’t eat any. Haven’t eaten since Saturday, which will help in addressing those two kgs that have stuck on for the last year or more.

Another bout of shivering in the night, so I will be off to the doctor today. Unfortunately my GP is close to my work, so I will have to drive into town, having taken the day off. At least I can take a bag full of feijoas for the workmates, rather than lugging them on the train.

Best birthday wishes for you both, Happy and Wee 🙂

Thanks, P 🙂 . I am just back from the doctor (where I ran into Wi – will let her provide further details if she wishes). Now on antibiotics, and also bought some prebiotics to help the system.

I popped in to work while I was in the block, to deliver some feijoas for workmates. I brought some in for you too, Wi, but in all our chatter forgot to mention them! They are at reception.

Hi Fast Friends
My lurking time is over. Today I fasted successfully.
All 4 adult children are back in the UK. The constant movement has lulled. Fasting will be easy as I spent last Thursday and Friday catering for 50 family members. That was hard work but with the help of my daughter it was a great bonding exercise.

It was a real coincidence to see Barata today at the same medical surgery. My ankle has worsened again and I am back on antibiotics. I also have a suspected melanoma on my back which will need to be treated in France. Fasting will be strict as we all know about rapidly dividing cells.

I am glad that spring has returned to UK. I hope there is still some n 5 weeks when I return.
Happy Fasting
Wiwi

It’s interesting, Happy, isn’t it, how the longer you experience this wol, the more ovious the connection between eating white carbs and later hunger is?

Hi ev eryone,

Wee, sorry to hear your ankle is still causing issues plus your skin lesion. I hope things improve soon.

Jo, I’m with Happy, how on earth are you going to create a calorie deficit of nearly 2000 calories in a single day in order to lose 1/2 lb per day. You are being over ambitious and setting yourself up to fail.
Remember the tortoise and the hare? 5:2 is the tortoise.

It’s a nice day here. I was up early and got some laundry done and out in the sun and then went to the gym. I managed to curb my enthusiasm and not overdo it as I want to go again tomorrow.

I’ve found a new coffee shop between the gym and the bus stop and I think it is going to be a regular stop. The coffee is fabulous and it’ll keep me out of the kitchen when I get home as I’m finding it tough not to start eating while I’m making a hot drink.

I took the car for service and MOT and it needed something replacing so I had to leave it overnight and now I’m waiting for a call to collect it.
I can guarantee it’ll be ready at the same time the school day ends……..

Have a good one everybody 😜

My previous post should have said Wi not Wee 😳

I’m having ginger fish for dinner tonight. So easy and delicious, a piece of white fish, thinly sliced ginger, garlic, chilli, carrot and red pepper, a squeeze of soy, some shredded basil wrapped in a parchment parcel and baked for 15-20 minutes.

My mouth is watering at the thought 😆

It’s been a very productive day, lots of chores including the laundry completed, car collected, groceries done, a trip to the gym and I even found time for a walk in the sunshine 😀

Wise words, RT, and the most important thing is to look after yourself, be kind and don’t try and push past your emotional endurance.

Nothing done here, but pleased to announce that, apart from feeling a bit frail, I am well on the road to recovery. Will be off to work tomorrow, to face a battery of emails from clients!

Your ‘nutritionist’ obviously hasn’t done her homework, Happy. Sorry for all the folks she might sway away from 5:2. In fact, she Must Be Stopped! Letters to the Editor are called for.