Day 25 – Ireland 🇮🇪 -FD

Just skipping breakfast and waiting until noon to break my fast is a big thing for me and I am proud to say it has been done. So that’s 18 hours fasting. Slowly getting back into it

@flourbaby oh that rain is relentless. We heard on national radio on Thursday or Friday that this has been the wettest 8 months on record in Ireland 😱
So although I have trays and trays of seedlings hanging about on warm windowsills, we are nowhere near chancing to actually put them out yet!! My daffs are going over now but my tulips are about to burst into their colour so it’s all to look forward to.

One comment by my boss today set me back, but I have decided not to give it the head space….yet. I am definitely leaning towards getting out of here (the job) and revisiting the travel plans that DH and I had before Covid hit. I have 8 years before I officially retire and can live off my nice pension….can I afford to jump sooner?.. Hmmm…lots to ponder.

I don’t want a return to those dark days of recent months, so a change, or looking forward to a future change might help the mind. Oh and @penz, I must have missed it, but have you taken a years sabbatical? Good for you 💃

Hope you are all having a good Monday. Xxxx

Day 26 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

I sent my revised, but still lengthy email, & got a very brief reply about 8 hours later. “The matter is being reviewed further by the Trustees and the Property Management company and further feedback will be provided shortly.” I can hardly wait. I believe a meeting is taking place today, but the revolution has already started; one resident is getting his white yard gate installed this week, & another has told me she’s going to paint over her brown one 😱

@flourbaby – Re ‘FountainGate’ 😂 I’d actually describe the colour as closer to terracotta/clay than brown, so it’s not quite as revolting as it sounds. But after talking to the trustee the other day, I got the impression my other neighbour had the wrong end of the stick. The trustee said the fountain was painted long before Judy-the-dictator arrived, & she only had it repainted last year.

@penz – ‘stoush’. I had to Google that. ‘Informal, Australian. Hit, fight with. “Get out of that car while I stoush you” 😅

@daffodil2010 – good to hear you’re getting back into the fasting routine. Maybe you’ll feel differently about work once you’re back at your desk & things get back to normal. I was 56 when I retired. But Covid would’ve forced me into it just two years later anyway, & I would’ve been worse off financially. Every cloud, right..? 🌤

A new, possibly drug-free treatment for dementia being studied:-
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13237623/Exposing-patients-flashing-lights-help-halt-dementia.html

Lovely & cool here after some good rain during the night. Boo Boo didn’t appreciate the brief thunder-storm, but then neither did I. Those sudden, really loud claps of thunder make me feel really anxious & I nearly finished up under the bed with her 😂

Have a lekker day everyone

Day 26, London, UK, NFD

Had to do a double take at the date ….. 26th!!! I could have sworn it was the 16th!🤨

Stoush is my word of the day, I’m going to try to use it a lot, my Aussie colleague may get a surprise!!🤣🤣

There’s nothing like a good old uprising to get the blood flowing (figuratively!!) @funshipfreddie, I imagine Judy is either about to explode or melt like a Wizard of Oz witch!!🧙🏼‍♀️

Well done @daffodil2010, as you know, it only gets easier as you work that fasting muscle!!💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼 I don’t want to wait until the official retirement age, no doubt it’ll be increased to 70+ by the time I get there, because NOW is the time I would like to travel, take classes to learn something new, and generally get OUT there…………….. All I need is a huge lottery win!!!

The relentless rain has …………….. relented!!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 I’ll make the most of it whilst I can and have a lunchtime walk.

Onwards & downwards folks!!!

“I value self-discipline, but creating systems that make it next to impossible to misbehave is more reliable than self-control.” ~Tim Ferriss

Day 26 Auckland FD 74.6kg

I’m a wee bit all over the place this month. Just when I think I have a working food routine it comes back to bite me… I slipped on Sunday and had way too much food in the evening… me, myself and I. If I have structure and planning in place I’m good… If not the cracks widen. So as I’ve done previously, declare it and put it behind me…

@daffodil2010 You sound in good heart and ready to make the best decisions for yourself!!
@stitchincarol I completely agree with you about idle hands! Hearing you talk about your sewing room is going to get me cracking on my next knitting project! Especially as it’s cooling off on the evenings.
Whew! @northgeorgia Hitting the 230s is just what you didn’t want… Key words – quantity, quality and no seconds… Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water…
@excelsior12309 I agree, the slow descent can be nonsensically eroded by a fast increase… but you are doing really well. It all adds up in the end when you keep it going!!
@flourbaby I was looking forward to @funshipfreddie’s village coup as well!!! I so dislike people like Ms Management – my vote was to topple her!!!
Your wardrobe dilemma is precisely why I like uniforms for work, particularly scrubs!! Then you just require weekend clothes and the odd good outfit and SHOES!!!
@funshipfreddie 🤣🤣🤣 I once looked after a 25 yo in Oakland hospital who only weighed 500lb. He had lost 100…
@jaifaim You certainly do need time out!! Great to hear your fitness is up there. Swimming too!
@penz The dilemma of idle hands…. Making my FD a busy day is my main strategy so doing any that keeps me out of the kitchen (shopping, gardening, dog walk😢etc). I also have a boiled egg at 4pm then eat dinner an hour earlier than usual… And yes I’ll stay on the committee because I’ll get a wee puppy in about a year I think😊

I did a late afternoon walk today and made soup for dinner and now I’m drinking a glass of Pinot Noir because I’ve just finished talking to Billy’s gallery in London. I might go over late April because the gallery has moved from Cork St in Mayfair to St James and opened their new premises with his work along with another conceptual artist’s work from Bosnia.

Onward and downward…

Day 26 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD, or perhaps FD500

I succeeded in sticking to no more than 1,000 calories yesterday, which felt nothing short of astonishing! 😂😂 So, while it wasn’t a FD on any level, I certainly feel PFDS. I haven’t weighed because I’ve set myself the goal this week of judging the results of my behavior by thinking of what I’ve eaten and how I’ve felt, and entirely ignoring the scale–something I’ve done very rarely for 50+ years. But it used to be when the scale went up a bit, I’d gasp in horror and cut down on my eating for a few days until it went back down. Clearly, that’s no longer what happens when the scale goes up. Hence, a new plan for this week.

Having eaten so relatively little yesterday, however, I don’t know that my body will be all that strong for the long day I have, so I’m allowing myself the possibility that I’ll have 300-500 calories at some point. I’ll see.

@daffodil2010 and @jaifaim When I was much younger and still lived in northern California, where 89″ of rain per year was the norm, we once had it rain nonstop for an entire month. As in, it. never. stopped. Twenty-four hours a day, not drizzle, but rain, usually POURING rain. It was muddy everywhere, and while it wasn’t pleasant, it was over Christmas when all the siblings were gathered, and one of my fondest memories is of the grandkids going outside at my mom’s and playing and coming in completely muddy–five different times in one day. Doesn’t sound like a lovely memory, but we all laughed and laughed at the sight of them! So I hope you have some muddy children in your neighborhoods to make you grin!

@penz That was such a sweet thing to say, and you made me smile. I actually found a new piece to play to introduce our opening hymn; it’s in the style of a carillon and will be lovely–once I learn it. LOL! So that will be practiced daily all week. I’m glad it proved to be an easy solution to simply make plans to provide structure to FDs.

Wow, @jaifaim. Can’t think I’ve ever said “tempted to fast again today.” Wow. 😂 You clearly have serious mojo going right now to get to the low 150s so you’re solidly in maintenance where you want to be. 💪💪💪

@funshipfreddie I pity you living in a space where everyone has to comply with regulations…when we buy our home in retirement, I do NOT want a place that’s part of an HOA (Homeowners Association), because I want the freedom to do what I want to my home and don’t want a cookie cutter neighborhood. But then, I like to garden… As to thunder, when DH and I were first married, and I was only slowly becoming accustomed to thunderstorms (translated: they terrified me), there was a huge clap of thunder once in the middle of the night that woke me out of a sound sleep and scared me so badly that my entire body somehow shot up into the air, turned over and came down on DH. Poor man. For once, a clap of thunder terrified HIM, since it caused 132lbs of gasping and shaking fear to land on him! 🤣🤣🤣

@flourbaby You have an impressive collection of wonderful quotes; thanks for sharing!

@brightonbelle Your day yesterday with your son sounds delightful, and thanks so much for volunteering to host April!

@merryapple You maybe ate too much on Sunday, but if I were to have done that–wait. I DID do that. yup–then my weight would have shot up, so it has to be comforting that you’re still 74-something! And how lovely it would be to go to the gallery when it has first opened, huh?

Got lots done yesterday, including the 5th giraffe and am well started on the final giraffe. I have nothing on the list to accomplish today since it’s such a long teaching day, so I’ll be back to being list-driven tomorrow.

Have a grand one, everyone!

Pocket List – Day 26 🤐
@daffodil2010
@brightonbelle FD800
@merry🍎
@stitchincarol WFD

second post

Wow, @ccco, big news, indeed!

Second Post

@ccco my heart goes out to you all in Baltimore! We woke up to the dramatic scenes of the bridge collapsing on the news here too. Seems like it will really affect the area of course in terms of getting about the Bay Area.. hoping that they manage to locate all of those who were on the bridge at the time 🥲🙏

Day 27 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

@stitchincarol – 🤣 imagine trying to explain THAT to the congregation, if your DH had shown up in church with a neck brace or a few broken bones?! “No, I didn’t beat him up, really! It was the thunder!”. It’s not a HOA though, it’s a Sectional Title scheme. Although I don’t think there’s much difference. Most of the time they work really well. The whole point of the rules regarding the appearance of the houses is to maintain the market value of the properties, & to prevent any whack-jobs from doing things like painting their garage door in rainbow colours & orange polka dots. There’s always one 🙄 But our complex manager is a little over-zealous & takes everything too literally.

@brightonbelle – thanks for offering to host April 🙏

@ccco – crikey – that bridge collapse?! It was breaking news on every news channel yesterday morning, just as I was posting on the forum. It must’ve been terrifying to wake up to that noise; people thought it was an earthquake! What a mess? They still don’t seem to know what caused the collision. Something about engine failure, maybe? But a really bad career move for someone if human error is discovered

@merryapple – a 600 lb 20+ year old?! That’s just tragic 😞

Line-dancing time 🕺 Happy Hump Day! 🐫

Pocket List – Day 27 🍌
@penz

Day 27 NFD NZ 75.1kg

I went with a photographer to take photos of works today. He bought me coffee and the hugest delicious cheese scone and that was the end of any extra FD!! It was breakfast and lunch but…

@ccco My goodness, what a tragedy the bridge collapse is. I see police cars were able to block access to it which saved lots of people too. But those poor bridge workers… How frightening for your family being woken up by it.
@penz Agreed. A stoush is a fight or a disagreement here in NZ.
I think a Westie – Macintosh II 🐻‍❄️ 🤍 in a year or so 🥰
The thought of @stitchincarol landing on her DH in the middle of the night is enough to wake the Banshees🤣
Thank you for volunteering for next month @brightonbelle.
I don’t mind doing the sheet if you would like me to but I’m away for Easter so might be a day or two late posting it.
I have a busy FD tomorrow starting with a walk up Mt Eden.

Kia Kaha (Stay Strong)

Day 27, London, UK, FD

The scales have faltered again!!! Once again, I need to review my expectations, but I’m sure it wasn’t so up & down on my previous fasting journey!!!

@stitchincarol, I have a Word document where I write my daily musings for the monthly challenges, if I see a quote that resonates I c&p it to my fasting diary; so I always have a selection to choose from which I try to keep in mind for the day!💪🏼 Taken out of context I had to smile ……………..” Got lots done yesterday, including the 5th giraffe”🤔🤔

@brightonbelle, thanks for taking the reins for April, you’ll be grand!

Goodness @ccco, it’s so tragic, I wish the construction workers had been evacuated from the area, especially as there was time to close the bridge, perhaps only those moving & not for those at a standstill mid span😥. So very sad. It’s impossible to judge what losing such a major part of a city’s infrastructure will do for the local economy and residents. 🙏🏼🙏🏼Thinking of you & your city.

@funshipfreddie, I think I would have been one of those polka-dot whack-jobs, not by choice, but just to see Judy’s head explode!!!🤣🤯🤯🤣

@daffodil2010, I’m glad to hear your dad is still fighting fit!!!🙏🏼

I ought to sign off & get some work done, but more likely to spend time contemplating how to tweak my regimen to actually get some fasting results like I did way back in 2016/17!!😥😥

“Success is the sum of small efforts — repeated day in and day out.”
—Robert Collier

Pocket List – Day 27 🍌
@penz
@jaifaim
@flourbaby

USA. Day 27. FD

Pocket List – Day 27 🍌
@penz
@jaifaim
@flourbaby
@brightonbelle
@ccco

Day 28 NZ FD 74.6kg

Just back from a crispy walk up our local volcanic cone, Mt Eden. Now I have a @stitchincarol length list of jobs to do for Easter🤣
I’m babysitting Ms Paisley the Scottie at midday so have to get going so I’m back home in time.
We’re getting a cold snap for Easter with showers/ rain and have to dig out the wet weather gear for the weekend…
The big question is do I weigh early for the end of the month or late when I get back???!!! 🧐

Pocket List
Merry🍎

Day 28 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD

I was planning a FD today, but I’ve changed my mind. Because I can 😃

@flourbaby – “I think I would have been one of those polka-dot whack-jobs” 😅 My purple lounge walls aren’t to everyone’s liking. People seem to either love or hate them. On seeing them for the first time, one so-called friend covered her eyes & shrieked, “I’m blind, I’m blind!” After I bought this place, the first thing I did was get rid of the pale-grey that every wall had been coated in.

@jaifaim – yeah, that generic response to my email was mildly irritating. I think Judy’s taking it personally now. She’s not used to being challenged, & I think she needs to be reminded who she’s working for. But anyway, it’s done as far as I’m concerned. Another neighbour proudly sent me a photo of his new, white yard gate yesterday 😅
Re halting/stalling dementia, I think you’ll find this interesting:-
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13244325/cut-risk-dementia-scientists-name.html

@merryapple – 74.6! 🎯 You have to weigh after your FD?! I insist! Because it’ll be a new low, surely? And maybe once you’ve seen the result of all your efforts you’ll be a little more restrained over the weekend 💪

I just heard on the radio that the door from the movie Titanic was auctioned off – i.e. the door that saved Rose from drowning – for + US$718,000! What would you do with it? I mean, I love that movie, but I wouldn’t want the door, even for free! Even if I could paint it white & use it as my yard gate 😂 And how do you know for sure it’s THE door? Unless it’s maybe signed or authenticated by James Cameron?

Some people should not be allowed out alone 🤣
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13241783/Kind-hearted-woman-nurses-stricken-baby-hedgehog-overnight-discover-fluffy-hat-bobble-took-animal-hospital.html

Pocket List – Day 28 🍏
@merry🍎

Day 28 UK f800

Realistically probably my last FD for a few days so going for it 💪

I’ll stick to the alliteration @merryapple so it’s Amazing April , I’ll set it up shortly as obviously quite a few of you will be in April before me

Just hoping the weather improves , definitely un Easter like here at the mo ☔️

Day 28-No.VA USA-FD800
Not a lot going on here, as far as food or holiday plans. A visitor coming to the office tomorrow who may be interested in buying the building we own (and I work in), which would allow me to retire. Yay. I can’t get too excited until we see the actual plans. But it would be nice to be done by next year. I will be 75!

A fast day 800 today, and then plans for a modest Easter food wise. Weight is still down, so that is good. I have avoided the bread, pasta, wine, and sweet treats for the past month and that has made the difference for me, I think.
I read that article about the lady who “saved” the “hedgehog”…I am speechless. I hope it got a decent burial….
Looking forward to Amazing April! Happy Easter to all.

Day 28 – Rural Nebraska, USA – CD1000 or less

I don’t know what the calories will be today, but I know what I’m eating (I’m not WFing as too much is happening and all lessons are moved to tomorrow), so as long as I stick to that, I’ll be content. This business of not weighing is TOUGH, LOL–I don’t know how the rest of you do it every single week! I can say that I’m truly aware of how poorly I ate yesterday, however, and not at all pleased with myself, so perhaps it’s working (not weighing is) to reset my attitude to be more diligent about behavior. 🤷🏻‍♀️

LOL, @merryapple, good luck with your long list and decision on precisely when to weigh. 😂

@penz You crack me up that you’re not working fulltime any more but seem to be busier than ever! 😂🤣🤣

@jaifaim I’m shaking my head in wonder that you so casually mention that you’ll be in France and Belgium this weekend…you’re all astonished that we drive so far for various trips, but I’m dumbfounded that you can mention a trip to France and Belgium in the same breath and so very casually! I supposed it’s no different from me saying we’ll be, oh, in Kansas and Missouri…but it simply does not have the same ring! 🫤😂

@funshipfreddie Oh, that’s entirely too funny…and unbelievable! Did she mix up her dates and think it was already April 1???

@daffodil2010 Enjoy your alone time this weekend, and I hope the weather cooperates with you so that you’re able to get some yard work done as you’re hoping! Our weather is cooperating for me today and tomorrow–except the snow still isn’t entirely melted, so it’s unlikely I’ll be able to accomplish anything.

@brightonbelle Nice choice, as I’m a big fan of alliteration.

@flourbaby It is SOOO frustrating to behave well and not have the scale respond as we expect, isn’t it? I’m sure your WHOOSH! will come soon to reward you for all the restraing you’ve been showing!

@excelsior12309 Oh, I hope this person DOES buy your building!

Got lots done yesterday, and found a perfect organ piece to solve the problem of no clarinet (…that makes no sense, I’ve realized…) and choir practice went well last night. I’m taking deep breaths because the horrible pressure I often have on the last few days of Holy Week seems to be averted by being so diligent about making a list and sticking to it. And throughout the week, DH and I have been smiling at each other and saying, “Well, that was the last ________ ever!” For example, last night was the last choir practice, because I’m not planning to have a choir next fall. @excelsior I’m only 65 and DH is not quite 70, and we can’t stand the thought of not retiring at year’s end, so I’m impressed you’ve persevered so long!

Okay, and I’m off. Have a grand one, everyone!

Pocket List – Day 28 🍏
@merry🍎
@brightonbelle FD800
@excelsior12309 FD800
@stitchincarol CD1000 or less

Day 29 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD

DH has just left on his motorcycle, travelling to Belfast to catch the ferry to Scotland to spend Easter with his mother in the Lake District. I would have loved to have gone with him but our cat is too old now to put into a cattery (and it’s too stressful even trying to get her to the cattery), and my brother who usually stays when we are gone is busy……so time alone for me so.

And I look forward to that too! Sun shining, about to go to the garden centre and pick up supplies, compost, bulbs, flowers etc….and plan a weekend working hard in the garden

@stitchincarol I was saying the same thing when I was finishing up in my big corporate job back in 2015, ie this is my last conference call with X, and then it was this is my last Monday…oh how good that felt. 9 years ago almost to the day that was. My how time has flown.

Everyone have a great Good Friday if you observe. I know it was a big day of holy obligation when I was a child, a fast day, fish only, Stations of The Cross at the church, all bow our heads at 3pm…….times sure change, but have a grand day today.

Day 29 – USA/GA – ZBC?

Weigh-in: 232 lbs. Eww, nasty. But, I finished off my last antibiotic last night! Cough also seems under control this morning, so I’ll hold off on any nasty tasting syrup, too. With Easter on its way and me being off alongside my mom, nephew, and niece today, I don’t see any way to do a FD until April 1. But I’m hoping I can get to do a ZBC today. Those forced breakfasts over the last two weeks were tough! I’m about two or three pounds heavier than last week each day, so I can’t wait to start reversing the nonsense.

Well, PHOOEY.

I moved my fingers on my mouse pad–and I went back a page, and then had to sign in, and now my post is gone. It’s enough of a stretch to type it the first time, but I’m not going to try to recreate it. Just know I responded to almost all of you, and I wish you all an excellent Easter!

Day 30 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD 69.1 kg

Easy FD for me yesterday, but I was irritated at myself for not just getting it done on Thursday. I’m right on target, so can we just pretend the month is over now? I mean, if 30 days is good enough for April…? Who decided 31 days for March anyway? I blame Julius Caesar 🤔

@lilymartin – good to see you back! So did you reach your goal of under 80 kg for March? Or shouldn’t I ask? 🤐 You seem so busy & active, lugging sheep around too? You should be like a whippet! 😅 Luckily for me I can take or leave hot cross buns, so I leave them. Not so good at swerving the chocolate though, or the butter.

The latest Gategate instalment – The April Newsletter was distributed yesterday. It contains a survey asking for feedback on imposing fines on people who break The Rules, our garden service, & ‘colour preference for yard & security gates’ 🤣 There are two options – keep the colour scheme (which doesn’t exist) as it is, or allow owners the option of of white gates. I would’ve preferred a third option, i.e. ‘couldn’t care less’. Oh, & ‘opinions will remain confidential’. Gripping stuff!!

Dr Mosley’s weekly column:-
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13252085/MICHAEL-MOSLEY-test-reveals-Covid-stupid-it.html

Flying spiders?! 😰 I think if I lived in Oz I’d never get a wink of sleep, & I’d have at least 1 can of Doom in every room 🤯
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3500824/Australian-golden-orb-spider-2-000kms-away-New-Zealand.html

@penz – just in case I don’t post tomorrow – thanks so much for hosting the March Challenge 🙏💐

Wishing everyone a very Happy Easter 🐣🐰

See 👀 you in Amazing April

Day 30 – Rural Nebraska, USA – FD500

I’ve decided to weigh in tomorrow morning. And then, I’m thinking I’ll skip weighing for another week. It’s been a fascinating study in restraint, LOL! Somewhere, I’ll find the missing link to control my mind and my impulses, because I’m sure not always in control right now.

@brightonbelle That extra half pound off would feel like a lovely cushion, wouldn’t it? On the other hand, how glorious to be your goal weight, and to be succeeding in maintaining it!

@jaifaim DH and I were at the Paris airport for a 3 hour layover on our way home from Rome then Israel in 2019; it makes me smile to think I know what you’ll be seeing! And congratulations on being below 155!

@funshipfreddie Wow. So much for you taking the high road; Judy is clearly out for spiteful low road options! And what are you doing for Easter?

@northgeorgia Tight clothes are never fun!

My massive to-do list is mostly accomplished; there’s still plenty to do today, but just normal get-ready-to-throw-a-dinner-party stuff that’s all fun, so it won’t feel like work at all. And I almost know that carrilon introduction for our first hymn tomorrow, so another chunk of time practicing it today ought to get me there. I seldom practice more than two hours in a week–and often a lot less than that–but Holy Week sees me practicing ten or more hours, and it’s lovely to revert back to college year’s efforts. But I’ll be glad not to be practicing so much next week, LOL!

I’m sure I won’t be posting tomorrow, although I might grab a moment here or there to use my phone to read posts. Have a grand Easter, everyone, and may we all eat with the restraint we choose as reasonable!

Pocket List Day 30 🐰
@stitchincarol