This topic contains 11,627 replies, has 174 voices, and was last updated by hermajtomomi 6 months, 3 weeks ago.
Herm, the only rule is that whatever you throw, you’ll be searching for in a year or two’s time, and whatever you keep, you’ll probably never need again. So go with your heart, and don’t think too hard about it.
(OH here did it his way for his man-stuff – refused to get a skip and insisted on bringing the lot – even the ride-on mower, when we now have a postage stamp with no grass. What wouldn’t fit into the house went into the garage, what wouldn’t go into the garage went into the shed; what wouldn’t go into the shed went into the trailer hitched to the back of mobility scooter and thence to the tip. Repeat several times, over 7-8 years – easy peasy! I guess it allows thinking time, but not recommended – and my first sentence still applies in any case. . Books, of course, are a completely different matter: they are family and as such come wherever you do. )
The air will be multi-coloured, Happy. We don’t have vast amounts of furniture, in fact we are going to have to buy a few bits more as we’re actually up-sizing space-wise, but down-sizing cash-wise. However, when it comes to books, it’s another story.
After all the griping and accusations of mental derangement on my part, Himself is really into the move and is particularly excited at the prospect of a garden. OK, it’s only wee as gardens go but after 30+ years without one…
Also moggies are back on the agenda once we’re settled in. There’s a cat rescue centre just up the road from Haggis Gap.
Good advice, Fast, obviously based on experience.
I’m having to be a bit more ruthless than I would like with books – our joint collection runs into thousands – so quite a few that I really won’t re-read, or were a mistake in the first place, are having to go. There are others which I go back to time after time and they will stay definitely stay.
I’m hoping some of the heavy art-theoretical stuff left over from the MA will raise small amounts of dosh, although I refuse to part with many of the other books from that happy period.
Firstly, happy birthday Happy and Polly! 💐🎂🐣🐰🍾 Hope you have a wonderful day and a great year ahead!
Secondly, thankyou for giving us colonials permission to swear (mildly) on here, you’ve no idea how Ive been holding back at times lol!
Ive also been wondering about he move Hermaj and pleased to hear things are progressing.
AT! I’m in the same boat as you with a very dear friend of 40 years standing coping with A very poor prognosis. I am flying to NSW tomorrow to spend next week with her for her birthday. I’m pleased to be going but also very sad because I know in the back of our minds will be those unspoken words of maybe this is the last birthday. 😥
Purple how did they tell you to eat the HCB? I always warm mine in the oven. I had one yesterday with my dear old dad when he came over for morning tea. A decadent night last night with a big mob here from OH gold club for eats and drinks. Interestingly although I ate a lot of different things they were just very small pieces. How things have changed.
Re the kefir AT – I ferment mine in a cupboard and I accidentally forgot about it one time and it was sitting out for at least 2 days I think and I noticed it had a nice slightly thicker consistency, so that’s what I do each time now as that’s how I like it.
Happy Easter!
Happy, I also meant to say re trigger point – I have been hovering above for a number of weeks now when all of a sudden I dropped. Crazy!!
Only thing I was doing different was trying not to snack. the lowest day was the day after I’d been feeling really miserable and had an almond croissant and a piece of toast for lunch! 😳
I honestly think it’s our bodies adjusting to our new norm.
We’re all good here in Wellington post Cook, thanks, AT. Other parts of the country were worse off, but fortunately the storm went through very quickly, and a little east of the projected path. The sun shines today, so I have been on the roof waterblasting. Halo is now shining too. I’m working on awesome 🙂
When we have had the moving ‘adventure’ – and we have done our share of that – we tend to take everything, particularly if we use movers. (I remember when we went to the UK, the movers even took the rubbish from the rubbish bin!) Then the cull takes place at the other end when we try to find homes for items, and decide if they are worth housing. It’s also the time to clear the medicine cabinet of long-expired potions and lotions – never many, we are so healthy 🙂
Do you still have the ride-on mower, Fast?
I think my kefir grains are getting happier, as the latest batch of water kefir is much denser than previous, and all else was the same in the preparation.
Happy birthday, Bunnies. 🙂
Thanks for the kefir advice – will keep you updated on success or otherwise!
@hermajtomomi – I was ruthless when moving the last time – and have not missed anything I sold, gave away or took to the tip – OH and I decided that we would only take what gave us pleasure so obviously all music and books were all taken with us………..good luck
@carolannfud – exactly 😢 but our other friend and I have decided that we need to keep things normal and still have a laugh as we always have done – so I’ll be heading down south in May and I can give her a proper hug and cry and laugh together or whatever is needed at the time……
Re Kefir – I’ll try the cupboard idea – have only been leaving it fermenting for 24hrs as worried it might become too sharp in taste!
Knee rather painful today after that climb yesterday – maybe a bit too much – will rest and only do a walk into the village today – weight happily sitting between 54kg and 55kg – aiming to stay below 55kg as that feels good and doable…….
All this talk about HCB – never made any myself but I do love them hence I never buy a multipack as I know exactly where they will go!!!!!! 😈 Luckily one of our local bakeries make lovely ones and I’ll be treating myself to just one this morning when I pop out for a coffee with OH to break my fast – good FD yesterday!
Have a lovely weekend and be happy – it’s the little things in life!
Wishing a very happy birthday 🥂🎈🎁🎈🌷to Happy and Polly – have a fabulous time
Thanks Girls!
I’m going to be having a slow day, doing my McKenzie back exercises, avoiding sitting down or bending, and trying to get right again. Ah well, I guess you’d expect bits and pieces to be suffering wear and tear after 48 years!
Carol (and other Aus/NZ fasters),
That’s so funny that you’ve been watching your mouths for fear of offending us prissy Brits!! I know that at least Hermaj and I have been doing the same 🤐
Barata,
Glad to hear you missed the brunt of the cyclone. You certainly seem to have been getting extreme weather lately.
AT,
I hope the knee settles quickly. It’s frustrating to be nursing injuries, especially as the weather starts to pick up.
Yup. Global warming. What we’re doing to the planet (making it uninhabitable for humans and other mammals).
What extreme things did you do to your back, Happy, that it’s giving you such pain after 48 years when mine is still under warranty at 65? (Not really, but since I went to a physiotherapist for my elbow my posture is so much better, and chronic back pain from poor stance is, fortunately, history. Stand tall, think of the elastic band at the top of the head.)
That sounds seriously nasty, Happy : makes my very occasional bouts of sciatica seem like small beer. If you can find a good pilates teacher (preferably Pilates Foundation trained) I promise you’ll find it helps a lot.
My proudest house-moving achievement came with the move before last, when a large (i.e. Waist high) unidentified box came down from the attic. It had been up there for 7 years and neither of us had a clue what was in it – so we got rid of it unopened, on the basis that we obviously didn’t need to know. Still don’t know, and obviously didn’t miss it!
AT and Carolann – will be thinking of you both, and your friends. Sometimes sitting alongside – especially alongside at a distance – and knowing when to laugh /cry /speak / keep silent, is almost as hard as being the one who’s ill.
Fast,
That box could have contained the treasure of the sierra madre!!
I’ve been looking at Pilates classes on line this morning. The NHS cautions that teachers don’t necessarily have any qualifications and aren’t medical professionals so you need to be careful. Sadly there aren’t any Pilates Foundation classes within 50 miles! I’ll have to do a bit more research on the local teachers before trusting myself to them.
Happy, we’ve never possessed anything that precious! And since it was in 1994, I refuse to worry about it now – although I have occasionally wondered – usually while watching the Antiques Roadshow (and sucking a Werther’s Original….)
Glad you’re researching pilates, and being cautious. You don’t necessarily need medically trained – it’s not actually a medical discipline, and anyone who’s done either Pilates Foundation or Body Control Pilates training will have trained for 3-5 years, know their stuff, anatomically, and know how to help you modify exercises, if need be, to protect you from injury – but what you do need to avoid is the situation where gym/ leisure centre staff are sent off on a few weekend courses and think they’re qualified to teach. That way lies, at worst, injury and at best, smaller benefit than you should expect from a well qualified teacher. Better to wait, as you’re doing, until the right person comes along – but when s/he does, grab them!!
You will have gathered that I’m a bit passionate / obesessive about this – testament to what pilates, with a really well trained and experienced (and well insured!) teacher has done for me. End of sermon!
An Easter fairy tale:
Once upon a time, there lived an old – well, old enough to have learned a few things along the way – woman, who – later in life than she would have liked – discovered a really healthy-giving way of eating which also had the advantage of helping her to lose 4 stone of middle-aged flab. She worked quite hard at making sure it didn’t creep back, and – knowing that the Festival of the Great Chocolate Bunny was just around the corner – told her OH very firmly that she did NOT, under any circumstances, wish to wake up on Festival day to gifts of chocolate bunnies, eggs or similar. In fact, while out in the retail woods one day, they bought two pretty China mugs, one decorated with hens (for him), one with pigs (for her), and agreed that these would be much more useful and healthy gifts, with the added advantage of lovely memories of animals they had kept in the past, and now greatly missed. (She did pop when OH wasn’t looking, and buy some chocolate-covered salted almonds to fill the mugs, as a nice surprise, but you can’t always be good – or consistent – can you?)
On the night before the Festival, they went to bed early, so that they could celebrate the Festival according to their version of the faith, with bonfire and bells and candles and singing in a dark church, before daybreak – and OH had been promised a rare treat – a cooked breakfast, on their return after the dawn chorus. All went well – except that when the old woman’s alarm went off at 5am, she woke to the most intense longing for a thick, dark, chocolate egg, which neither the glories of liturgy, nor the nutritional content of bacon egg, tomatoes and mushrooms (and a HCB!) , nor the ears chewed off a tiny milk Choc Bunny picked up with the newspaper on the way home (oh dear!) could pacify. After breakfast she walked to the local supermarket, and all the local open-all-hours shops: all shut and locked. She found one open: not a single chocolate egg left. Unless a night’s sleep cures her – or some cyber-pals talk sense into her – she is seriously thinking of driving to the shopping mall at 10am tomorrow (it’s closed today – she’s checked) in search of a quality dark chocolate egg.
And the moral of this tale? For old women (even those who have lost 4 stone and wish to stay that way: you are not as rational as you thought you were…
And for OHs: when she tells you next year that she definitely, certainly, honestly, does not want chocolate egg – do not believe her!!
Oh no Fast! What a sad tale! And how cruel that the shops are heartlessly shut on the day of need….
I suggest if she wakes up tomorrow still in need of chocolate egg sustenance she should give in to the urge.
I would try and talk you…sorry her 😊 out of it, but I’m in no position to take the moral high ground… having declined to buy a packet of four HCB on the basis that I only wanted one, I made my own and will be eating all 6!! They are quite small though…and only 9g of sugar per bun (including the dried fruit) 😊
That poor old woman. It must be something to do with the tilt of the earth. There was another old woman, in a completely different hemisphere who, like the chocolate craver, had rejuvinated her life with determination and wise choices only to read a post on the young people’s interweb about a seasonal food she had not tasted in years. She was sure a little taste would not be a problem. 3 HCBs are not usually considered fast day food, but she couldn’t stop at one.
The next day was the same, followed by an overwhelming urge to bake 3 loaves of bread over the weekend. Luckily she had some space in her freezer to hide some of it.
Waking up on Easter Monday she discovers herself teetering on the brink of her trigger weight.
Should she fall back to the safe healthy side by fasting, or slip down the side of tasting the new sourdough loaf (it looks brilliant) with bacon and tomato?
Tune in again tomorrow. ..
P 😑
P, I passed Happy’s good advice to the OW here, and I’m glad to report that she (the OW) has just this minute assured her OH that she’s back in her right mind and the craving has passed. As a thank you for putting up with (and humouring) today’s madness – which she tells me he did with admirable restraint – she will instead take him for lunch on their next day off to an organic Caribbean salad bar of her acquaintance. Win-win-win – for the scales, the bank a/c and her OH’s enjoyment, as well as hers – and not before time, as between her and her OH, 6 Brioche-based HCBs and 2 small tubs of salted caramel ice cream seem to have disappeared from her kitchen (which may have something to do with the alleviation of the urge to eat more chocolate…).
Your OW’s cautionary tale has reinforced her decision, and she’s wondering if your OW could manage with a half portion of the sourdough- on the basis that we know that maximum pleasure comes in the first couple of bites? If she’s not confident she can do that, it’s back to hard choices – would she prefer the eating pleasure, or the standing-on-the-scales pleasure?? Soooo difficult! My OW sends love and encouragement to your OW, and will wait anxiously – but without judgement – to hear what she decides…
A lovely fairytale, Fast. I will confess that three chocolate bunny rabbits were purchased for, and consumed, yesterday (and also a lovely roast dinner last night) and now my weight is the lowest in nearly two months! We’re only talking grams here, but still. I’m not down to my target yet, but there might be light down that rabbit hole 🙂 And our mantra is fast and feast, so festivals are to be enjoyed.
Not sure about all this talk of old women, though. With the rejuvenation of ourselves at the cellular level with fasting, we are getting younger every day. 🙂
FD is being deferred until tomorrow, as today is a statutory holiday.
Well we all know we need the odd re-feed day every now and then…!
Yesterday’s 2 slices of sourdough, 3 HCB, 2 slices of soda bread (found during the freezer inventory, wasn’t sure how old, thought I’d better take them out… actually they were fine 😀), and curry and rice resulted in 0.5kg lighter this morning!
You OW are so clever and so amusing! A fantastic tale Fast and excellent response Purple!
My advice – have a square of dark chocolate if you still have the urge Fast, you’ll enjoy it more. Not sure what you can d to resist the bread Purple – it’s always been my Achilles heel 😕
And you’re right Barate – it doesn’t make sense!!! 🐣🐣
And I am back to middle of wriggle range this morning, having struggled at top of it for weeks and despite the HCBs and ice cream (and unwanted milk choc bunny) yesterday. Perhaps my metabolism needed a kick?? Only other explanation is that I’ve actually been taking my prescribed night-time anti-spasmodic meds, which I normally pretend to forget, and have been sleeping better. Surprise! (It’s not that I don’t like them – it’s that I’m afraid of liking them too much…)
Shall not be shopping for expensive eggs today. X
I’ve loved the exchanges re dietary naughtiness especially Fast’s awesome bit of comic writing that started it all off.
I confess I could have shown more restraint with the HCBs, not only buttered but spread with cherry jam (one of the few jams I can bear)and with the slightly less calorific, far less sugary English muffins, similarly garnished.
However, lactose intolerance can sometimes come in handy. Why are at least 95% of Easter eggs, bunnies, Thomas the Tank Engines, etc made of milk chocolate? I know full well that more than a modest few mouthfuls is likely to send me back to bed for the day, feeling ghastly and cursing myself for being an idiot. Blessing in disguise, I guess.
But it’s still a shame that only the occasional posh and pricey brands seem to cater for the likes of me and all those sensible souls who know that, in moderation, the dark stuff (especially the weapons-grade 85-90%) is actually good for us.
BTW, did someone mention salted caramel ice cream? Therein lies a major downfall for one who can usually take or leave the icy stuff. Fortunately, we don’t have any in the freezer at moment.
Loved the OW story by @fastfastslow and the following exchanges…………..😂
As confessions seems to be the thing for today since my last FD on Friday 14th my “hunger dragon” seems to have gone totally out of control over the weekend – just too much of everything……………… including lots of lovely wine resulting in poor sleep on Sat and Sun and feeling off colour – too scared to step on the scales today…………..BUT have firmly pressed that RESET button with a FD today – planning on drinking plenty of water, tea with a dash of skimmed milk and a glass of my homemade kefir before bed…….will I succeed……..
Kefir making is now into it’s 6th day and seems to be improving – great taste but still not very thick, Kefir grains look small still but definitely bigger than when I first got them – I have a batch in the fridge that I second fermented with lime peel for flavour – lovely fresh taste
I wonder if it would help if I leave the batch currently fermenting on the kitchen top longer than the 24hrs I have been fermenting for?? Any advice from the experience Kefir makers?
Hi AT
We all seem to have had more trouble with temptation over Easter then Christmas. At least it’s over now and fasting is on fill swing again. Don’t be afraid to step on the scales. It’s better to know the damage 😊😊
Re the kefir. Leaving it 36 hours doesn’t really improve it. Don’t drown them in too much milk. Only use less than a tablespoon of grains in 250ml. Smaller quantities of both milk and grains kick it off faster. Stir with a chopstick a couple of times during fermentation. Press as much “goodness” out of them as possible through the sieve…they prefer to be cleaner…and be sure you are using the best full cream milk you can buy.
Good luck with your fast. P
Hi PVE
Thank you
I had a good water FD yesterday but did have a small glass of my Kefir before bed and slept well (under 200cals for the day!) Woke up not feeling hungry at all but drank another small glass of Kefir before going for a lovely walk up some low fells around 1.5hrs, with a good friend in the sunshine – no hunger still so planning on a 500cal day today! Have a lovely spicy mixed seafood/tomatoes/red peppers and spinach stew planned – OH will have a larger serve with some brown rice to keep him satisfied! I will step on the scales tomorrow which hopefully will show no damage from my over indulgent weekend after my Monday and Tuesday FD 😉 I just wanted to nip any gain in the bud as I’m still fairly new at this maintaining business………………
Re making Kefir – I have got a fair bit in the fridge so decided to rest the grains in some milk in the fridge – when I want to make some more do I drain them and rinse them ?with milk or water before putting a new batch to ferment?? Any advice gratefully received
“ Willpower is a muscle – the more you use it – the stronger it gets!!! “
Hi AT,
I don’t have any experience of slowing kefir production. You might find something useful here (or links):
https://happykombucha.co.uk/pages/common-kefir-questions
I’ve fasted today, not too bad as I’ve been moving around/ reasonably busy. I’ve taken a few days off to try and settle my back. No sitting. No flexion. Plenty of spine neutral and gentle exercise…. I’m bored!!
Hi AT
You only need to sieve the rested grains and start again.
The first time I froze them, I rinsed one lot is filtered water and another lot just straight back in milk. No difference at all.
If I am delaying more than a couple of days, I freeze the sieved grains just bare with no extra milk.
I usually adjust the quantity I’m making by reducing the proportions so that I make half batches for a few days. Similarly, splitting the grains into 2 jars, you can easily increase the output too.
I’m on my 2nd ADF of the week today. Lots if eating out on the feed days, so a good balance. P
Happy, you know your back better than anyone, and I’m neither a medic nor a pilates teacher, so feel free to ignore this – but is it worth trying a few (very) gentle ‘cats’ for the back? (I.e. All fours, start at the bottom end with a gentle pelvic curl, then move up to waist, , curl shoulders forward and finally drop head. Couple of breaths, then uncurl on next out breath in the same order – pelvis, waist, chest extension, raise head ). Done gently, I often find it helps – but NOT if it hurts!!!
Hope it feels better soon.
Hi Fast,
Yes, I’ve started doing cat-camel, as well as bird-dog. I’ve come across a few papers by a professor of spine biomechanics who he recommends these together with a funny little curl up designed to work the abs and not strain the back (lying flat, hands under waist to maintain arch, one leg flat, one leg bent, raise shoulders/upper body).
He does also talk about bad backs not being weak backs, but actually strong; the problem being once you’ve injured it nothing round it works properly and you use it rather than hips and buttocks. So Pilates it must be when I’m sufficiently over the worst!
Yesterday’s fast has seen me back in my maintenance zone 😀 Easter is just now a distant memory…And I’m trying to pretend that I don’t now know how easy it is to make HCB…And that I don’t have all the raw ingredients in the pantry!!
Good Morning from an overcast Cumbria at the moment – can’t complain as we had a lovely day yesterday!
Woke up feeling good about yesterday’s second FD (Mon under 200cal – Tues under 500cals both days minimal carbs) – may carry on today with my 3rd FD of around 500cals as I have a busy day and am out tonight with my ballet friends to see COPPÉLIA – THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET – I believe it is a live telecast!
@happynow – I have found that link – thank you very helpful
Hope your back is recovering slowly but surely – so frustrating. I saw @fastfastslow reply and agree with her – my pilates teacher certainly advises this for anyone in the class with back issues – Hugs
@purple Vegie Eater – thank you – I’ll try that today as I’m planning on getting a fresh batch under way but to date I have the fermentation process slower than the links I read all say…….but it’s early days a yet
“Happiness is a journey……….not a destination” Ben Sweetland
Hi Maintenance people!
I was going to join your chat thread as I have reached my original goal weight, but I have now decided to set a new goal weight, so am aiming to lose another 1/4 stone before I join you guys for good!
KEFIR QUESTION! I see you guys are talking about Kefir. I LOVE kefir and have it religiously 5 days per week. I would love to have it on FDs too, but I am struggling to find a way of calculating how many calories it has!
Obviously I know how many calories the full fat goat milk that I use to make the kefir contains, but I have no idea whether the fermenting process adds or subtracts calories!
So I would love your comments and advice please! Thanks!
Hi FTF5252,
Congratulations on reaching your original goal! I carried on losing beyond my 63kg goal (arbitrarily chosen, based on being my lowest previous adult weight!).
Re: kefir.
I don’t think there will be an exact answer but, on the basis that the sugar is being lost during the fermenting process, you could subtract the sugar calories in the raw milk from the kefir.
My whole milk is 68 calories/100ml with 4.7g sugar. If all the sugar is used, then the kefir would be roughly 50 calories/100ml (based on roughly 400 calories/100g sugar).
If you’re calorie counting precisely, probably best to assume not all the sugar is fermented?
Hello @fivetwofan5252 – welcome – nice to see you here from our March Challenge
Lots of experience on this forum and I also still participate in the April Challenge as I find it keeps me on my toes!!!!
Re Kefir – after hearing about it on here and other forums I bought some to try and then decided to make my own – I ordered some grains on line and made my first batch last Wednesday and it has taken about a week for it to settle down and I have also tried second fermenting it to great effect. Here is a great link which answers a lot of questions
https://happykombucha.co.uk/pages/what-is-kefir
I’m with @happynow‘s answer in that most (not all) of the sugar is used up in the fermentation process so most of the websites tell you that a cup of homemade Kefir with full fat milk will be roughly 150 cals, but if you make it with semi skimmed milk it will be less. The general advice is that full fat milk makes the best kefir in texture and taste but it is up to you. I have now tried both and prefer using full fat milk.
You sound like a lot of us in that once goal weight has been reached a further drops allows us wriggle room……….This is a WOL and not a diet and as you know it works 🤗
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14 Apr 17