Good evening everyone a wet one here again. Its been so nice having the dry days
A lovely afternoon in Banbury.. A light sandwich lunch at M&& .. always so fresh.
Got some last minute good buys .. I think The White Company must be closing down as 50% of all stock.. Found a lovely sweater for Kristy
Feeling tired now.. when I got back at 4.30 I had to go straight in the garden and play with Pip as he had been such a good boy… really though could have put my feet up with a cuppa. lolol
I have just had fish and chips from the van that comes to the village.. So not a brilliant eating day lol.. But you have to sometimes don’t you.lol
I really wish I could get into the spirit.. I will have to pull my socks up.lol
Nana what are you up to today.
Dave.. I used to do the gammon years ago in the oven.. But covered it with a mix of honey and mustard .. I think that probably is nicer kept basting it with the lovely juices.. Denise is soo lucky . that she has her very own chef..
H H How is Mum.. Lovely to have a break now from Home start till New year.
Sym…Glad all went well yesterday its different entertaining alone .. Lovely to see your Grandson I bet.
Enjoy your evening everyone. You’ll get there, just keep going Xxxx
Good evening everyone a wet one here again. Its been so nice having the dry days
A lovely afternoon in Banbury.. A light sandwich lunch at M&& .. always so fresh.
Got some last minute good buys .. I think The White Company must be closing down as 50% of all stock.. Found a lovely sweater for Kristy
Feeling tired now.. when I got back at 4.30 I had to go straight in the garden and play with Pip as he had been such a good boy… really though could have put my feet up with a cuppa. lolol
I have just had fish and chips from the van that comes to the village.. So not a brilliant eating day lol.. But you have to sometimes don’t you.lol
I really wish I could get into the spirit.. I will have to pull my socks up.lol
Nana what are you up to today.
Dave.. I used to do the gammon years ago in the oven.. But covered it with a mix of honey and mustard .. I think that probably is nicer. Denise has her very own chef..
H H How is Mum.. Lovely to have a break now from Home start till New year.
Sym…Glad all went well yesterday its different entertaining alone .. Lovely to see your Grandson I bet.
Enjoy your evening everyone. You’ll get there, just keep going Xxxx
I would try it for Denise I don’t like gammon myself. Had a couple of hours bowling today. Had a drop off rain but not too bad I did get soaked this morning taking Chloe out though.Cant believe how soon it goes dark. Three more days then it will start getting light again. Roll on summer.
Day 18 – Rural Nebraska, USA – CD – 153.4
I’m thankful for that six pound drop from Monday–I was fairly certain the ugly weight wouldn’t last, but I’ve thought that before and been tricked, LOL! I’m not actually losing weight in December, but not gaining is an achievement all on its own, and I’m ten pounds down from last summer, so there’s plenty to be pleased about. The additional twenty I want to lose will eventually disappear.
@molij Nicely done on getting right back into fasting after ten days of traveling and visiting and eating! How lovely to have neighbors who love you so much that they’re so sad you’re moving; hopefully you’ll be able to become just as close to the new neighbors when you move!
@merryapple Wow, that’s a lot of earthquakes so close to you. All of my Christmas cookies happen to be the kind you roll into balls (rather than drop from spoons), so I do the cookie dough in the freezer already scooped and ready to bake so that I can produce freshly baked cookies with only the need to put the dough on the cookie sheets and bake…no mess, no cleaning up, almost no time. And, the date nut swirls–a beloved old family recipe–is supposed to be frozen so it can be easily sliced, so it’s a perfect holiday cookie to have a few at a time. @molij mentioned she loves dates, so I’ll post the recipe when I can grab a moment. And good point about my sister’s appetite not being huge, but few of the planned meals are large, they’re simply consistent, LOL.
@funshipfreddie Condolences on your parents. My dad died at 57 in 1967 when I was 9 and my mom in 2015 at 96 when I was 56…but I still ache for my mom, and wish I’d had more time to get to know my dad. As a book title I once read proclaimed, the loss of parents is “The Loss that is Forever.” 💞
@jaifaim Congratulations for being firmly in the maintenance zone!
@northgeorgia Here’s something I’ve often wondered about you: have you ever considered being a permanent member of the ZBC? Even on NFDs? That might help you stay closer to the losing track than the maintaining or even gaining track…?
It seems all I do is tidy my house these days. All that shopping I’ve been doing–presents, groceries–makes a clutter that removes the peace from being home, so I’m trying hard to stay on top of it all. I folded origami stars to give to my piano students along with a small bag of candy, and that mess is still in front of me because I have three more stars to fold for tomorrow’s students, and I have one more batch of cookies to mix up, scoop, and freeze, and two final presents to wrap, and then I think I’m done with crafts and baking and wrapping gifts, and it’ll be down to practicing the organ for Christmas Eve and Day services. Or at least, I like to think it’ll be so easy and peaceful, LOL!
At any rate, Christmas Eve and Day will get here regardless of how “ready” I am, so I’m not bothering to stress about it…age has its advantages, as we learn that little piece of truth eventually, right?
Have a grand one, everyone!
Day 18 Wales 🏴 NFD
Maybe it’s the short days, less daylight, making me feel like the days are whizzing by. There also seems to be a general air of things must be done this week before Christmas, bit crazy really because things only shut down for a couple of days.
@molij sipping a sherry sounds so cosy and Christmassy. I’m looking forward to breaking the seal on the Baileys but doing my utmost to hold on until Christmas Eve.
@funshipfreddie you made me realise that I am fortunate to still have my dad who will be celebrating his 88th birthday on Monday.
@jaifaim congratulations on being back in your maintenance zone!
Have a good day everyone 🤗
Day 18 – USA/GA – ZBC
Weigh-in: 233 lbs. It’s an iffy next two days, so I can’t make promises I cannot keep. However, this could turn into a FD or OMAD or something, so, starting out with a ZBC 🙂
Day 18 UK NFD
Well done to all that are managing the festive season better than I am , currently on a train for our annual trip to London for a Pantomime and dinner out , will try and squeeze in a CD if not a FD soon
Hemmy it sounds very sweet 😬 I will let you have a go first!
I usually I bring mine to the boil twice throwing the water and foam away after each time, then bring to the boil and simmer until cooked, then leave in hot water let it cool down.
(If there’s fat around the edges I take it off while it’s hot and put back in the water to cool down.)
Jean
Hemmy it sounds very sweet 😬 I will let you have a go first!
I usually I bring mine to the boil twice throwing the water and foam away after each time, then bring to the boil and simmer until cooked, then leave in hot water let it cool down.
(If there’s fat around the edges I take it off while it’s hot and put back in the water to cool down.)
Jean
Day 18 – Ireland – CD 🚫 ✅ 🚶🏽♀️ 🌾
154.9 🥳
Well I am very happy to be back in my maintenance zone… 🥳 I am tempted to say “for however long it lasts” but… I’m
not going to… I have had a mindset shift in the past few weeks and although I might pop out of this newly revisited range on the coming weeks because of one dinner, one choice, or one day… this is where I will be in 2025 if you are looking for me 😂😂
The aim is to go lower and for this to be the high end of my maintenance.
I ate well but as planned yesterday and other than the GF small cake there were very little carbs.
@excelsior12309 thanks! I’m hoping the control is paying off.. I hope you are looking forward to a very well earned holiday break 🎄? did you manage to sort out your staffing issues from earlier this year? I hope so 🤞
@merryapple I realised after my post that I hadn’t read your post properly on my morning rush… I’ve read about Vanuatu before as I’m a little obsessed with islands 😂 So terrible for such a beautiful place. Yes.. your food read as more than 500 😂😂😂
@funshipfreddie wow your parents are both buried in NZ? You were a well travelled family? It must be in your blood. Thinking of you today on your dad’s birthday. 🥰 btw.. I hope that you are well as you posted a while ago that you were working through some stuff so as I wrote my intro above regarding mindset shift I thought of you. 💕
@molij it must be bittersweet to think about leaving a place you have loved living while knowing that it makes so much sense … you will always have it to go back to ♥️ 🏴 ♥️ I felt that leaving France but I’ve never regretted the move and love skipping back from time to time (ok lots 😂😂😂)
@ccco I hope your WFD went well and maybe have some soup or a broth with your medication?
@stitchincarol we are around the same numbers now…⭐️ How lovely to have your sister visiting but I know it will be tricky… I’ll be on the move a lot over the holidays so that will be a challenge but Kia Kaha as @merryapple says..
@northgeorgia well done on reaching the 220s 💪
Ok.. I’ve just lost some text on my phone.. grrr..
Have a lovely day all… I’ll be back on the pocket list tomorrow 💯
Day 18 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD
It would’ve been my dad’s 82nd birthday today. My aunt in Auckland took flowers to the cemetery in Mangawhai where both my parents are buried, as she does every year. I can’t believe it’s nearly 8 years since he died. And almost 20 years since I lost my mum! She died just days after that terrible Tsunami on Boxing Day, 2004.
@molij – I’ve visited Cape Town a few times, though I don’t think I’ve ever been to Witbank. I love Cape Town, although I prefer the climate where I live now. Have you decided where you’ll move to once you’ve sold up? Goodbyes are never easy. I remember you saying you want to move closer to your children & grandchildren. Are they in England?
@stitchincarol – I don’t recall anyone offering to host January yet, so thank you! 🙏 If December is the toughest month, I guess January must be the easiest, because we’ll all be full of resolve & raring to go! 🏃
@merryapple – our ‘Parktown Prawns’ are related to the New Zealand tree wētã, according to Wikipedia. Luckily we don’t get them this far south. Even the regular little crickets can make a racket if they get indoors, though I quite like hearing their chirping at night, from a distance 😅
It’s our last line-dancing session of 2024 today. Then right after, we’re all off to Doppio Zero, a ‘Mediterranean inspired’ restaurant just a couple of km away. But I will be on my best behaviour. And back on the list tomorrow 😇
Happy Hump Day! 🐫
Day 18 NZ NFD 69.2kg 🏃🏼♀️
I ate lots of vegetables and a punnet of strawberries y’day as well as cheese, a venison sausage and a slice of sourdough… Not too bad despite the scales pinging up. Oh and a small Christmas mince pie. When you write it down it seems to exceed 500 cals🤣
Apologies – my area is the Pacific Ocean and I didn’t think that you might not know about Vanuatu. It’s an island archipelago (about 80) in the Pacific Ocean north east of Australia. The locals are Melanesian and Port Vila is the capital, where the earthquake hit. 14 are reported dead at this stage.
@excelsior12309 We do get lots of earthquakes but fortunately not this one!
https://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake
The San Andreas fault line in California moves 5cm per year. The problem occurs when it’s unable to move and the pressure builds😬
@molij Love to hear you’re having a Christmas sherry. If I could I would join you!!!
@northgeorgia Fantastic you have made it into the decade below!!
@stitchincarol You are always putting cookie dough in the freezer. It’s not a habit I’m familiar with!! I’ll make shortbread in a mold for Hogmanay and put it in the fridge before tipping it out onto a baking tray or a cheese cake base in there.
You might find your sister doesn’t eat as much as you think and will enjoy a simple supper??? Enjoy her stay!!
@funshipfreddie We have a cricket which hopped over from Oz and is a very noisy pest. The grubs eat the roots of grass etc. If they get into the house by jumping on a passerby they make a helluva racket esp at night but go quiet when you’re trying to track them down…
Remember quality not quantity!!
Hello everyone,
Okay Gday, YOU should have got the Isle of Skye heatwave swap!
I hope today isn’t too bad.
Your capsicums sound wonderful. They are terribly expensive here at the moment. My favourite is roasted red capsicums and I prefer homemade to jars, so I hope the price comes down soon.
My contribution to the pepper family is the same chili plant (just about a tree now) that I have had for years. It is covered with green ones at the moment. I still have my fridge and freezer packed with last year’s chili oil, chili paste, sweet chili sauce, roasted chilis and frozen just plain.
I’m also complaining about the heat, and remembering how I complained about the cold, haha. I am enjoying my summer clothes, lots of linen and silk and lovely cotton.
We had 41c on Monday and I wilted, and was also minding my 8yo granddaughter. Eep. We managed to have a nice time but I think I am still recovering.
The hot day must have germinated all the pumpkin seeds in the garden so any of my little seedings that survive will soon be shaded by however many pumpkin plants I let continue.
Thin, I have the same trouble trying to put thoughts and my point of view into words. I might be worse in a cafe setting! But it would be fun to try, with the time to just casually work through conversations with plenty of time to explain and listen.
Neil, yay for a good weigh in. 600g down is good!
That lingering cough can take so long! Patience. (Mine is still going too).
One day your energy and bounce will return! Soon I hope.
Best wishes to everyone,
How was the Isle of Skye Anzac? I hope your trip continues it wonderfulness.
Hi Lindsay, Turn, and LJoyce how are you going?
Ciao
Just a quickie.. lol xxxx
Just saw this on Facebook .. and thought I would share and what are your thoughts.Xx I feel like trying it with a small gammon joint.
Best. Gammon. Ever!
Cup of brown sugar at bottom of slow cooker, place gammon joint on top, another 1/2 cup of brown sugar on top of joint.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
Just trust me – you’ll never do it any other way again.
And before anybody asks me the same question 100 times. NO you do not need to add any liquid. As it cooks the sugar draws out the salt from the meat and creates its own gorgeous juices which make a nice gravy!
This will be served with egg and chips 😉
Lush!
Enjoy all 😘
Evening All..
I have had a lovely day with Louise and Sheila, the food went down well. I have got out of the entertaining mode…
William is home he goes back on the 2nd January, I am going up on Saturday to see Jacqui so hoping he is in.
Dave..
Good you are feeling much better. Lots of smart stuff it would be too much for me.
Hemmy..
It all went well.. I make a mean quiche most people enjoy it. Bright and cheerful for tomorrow.. I like red, possibly more a mucky red as I call it 😂
Enjoy your day.
Hedgehog..
Yes all happy in the Jacqui household, tricky getting home on the train he thought a suicide on the track, over 5 hours to get home from London, usually a couple of hours.
Good you have got your tree, get you in the mood…
Jean x
Morning all, weigh in was down just 600g, feeling crap still, my symptoms are all gone except for an annoying lingering cough that won’t go away. Feeling bloated and yuck.
Evening!
Dave- glad you’re on the mend today 🤗 I’m not keen on the gadgets, although I like my phone now I’m used to it!
Jean- hope you’ve had a good day, must be a long way for them to come just for a day? Poor grandson, good he’s got ideas for moving on though. Jacqui will be pleased to see him I’m sure but not the circumstances…
Hemmy- well done with losing a pound. No harm in taking it easy, you deserve some lazy days! Hope Kristy gets better before she visits, & have a lovely day out tomorrow!
Nana- hope your hubby is on the mend too…well done with your loss, forgot to say yesterday!
My friend was poorly so walked on our own, had set the alarm too, a beautiful sun rise though! Rang my HomeStart family, that’s it now until the new year. Picked up the Christmas tree, did a big butchers shop, then found the lady had forgotten to put the adapter in so had to go back for it…did more cake decorating this afternoon. Have been quite hungry today, but just had the 2 meals.
Day 17 North Wales NFD
Good fast day yesterday. Thought I might have found it difficult. Managed to fast until 12.30pm today. It went down hill a bit after that. I decided that today I would tell our neighbours and a few close friends that live nearby that we would be putting the house up for sale mid January. Lots of tears, coffee and cake and now I am sitting with my feet up drinking a glass of sherry watching the Grinch. I only ever drink sherry at Christmas. 😂
@funshipfreddie never heard of the crickets being called Parktown Prawns. I do remember Dooming them. They are not nice creatures so I understand your reluctance to move them. I lived in Witbank and Melkbostrand. I worked in the hospital in Witbank and at the Red Cross Children’s hospital in Cape Town when we lived there.
@jaifaim sorry you didn’t get a woosh but glad you are in the 155’s
@northgeorgia well done on your weight loss 💪💪💪💪.
@stitchincarol glad you are at a better weight. Your date nut swirls sound lovely. I love dates and nuts.
Hope everyone has had a good day x
Pocket List – Day 17 🍏
@at
@excelsior12309 FD800
@stitchincarol
@ccco
USA. Day 17 FD
Yesterday turned into a regular NFD. It was not my plan but today I hope to do a better job at almost a WFD. My problem with WFDs is that I take medications that require me to eat something!
Pocket List – Day 17 🍏
@at
@excelsior12309 FD800
@stitchincarol
@ccco
Hope everyone is doing well! 😊
Good afternoon everyone.Xxxx
Its a very dark day here but at least dry for walking Xxxx
Feeling tired today and I cant be bothered with much I will be glad to see lighter nights again.
Tomorrow Chris and I are going to Banbury for a light lunch and M&S for some last bits. Just got my clothes ready .. bright red sweater and jacket hopefully cheer me up. lol
It will be lovely to see Kristy on Saturday till Boxing day.. ..have a nice rest from walking although at the moment she looks full of cold .. hopefully though its just being non stop busy with Xmas events.
Nana .. How is hubby ..
Dave.. Lol Lovely to hear you back to your gadgets .. you must be feeling better.
H H .. Did you have an enjoyable walk with your friend. How is Mum .
Sym.. Hoping you are having an enjoyable day .. I bet that quiche is lovely. I haven’t made one for years.
Enjoy the afternoon everyone.. Just going in the chilly damp garden with Pip..
Not being lazy, just being in an energy saving mode Xxxx
Day 17 – Rural Nebraska, USA – WFD – 156.4
Yup, one behaved day yesterday got me back down to a better weight. I’m not celebrating it as excellent, but it’s acceptable, and today should dispatch more of it.
Another busy day, with a single batch of Date Nut Swirls FINALLY made and put in the freezer to slice and bake as needed, and it’s only 9:30am. It’s been a decade or two since I only made a single batch, so I’m proud of the restraint I forced on myself.
@northgeorgia How glorious to have hit 229–I’m sure you’re thoroughly chuffed even though you understand it won’t last once you eat anything. But STILL! Well, well done.
Have I said my 81yo sister is coming on Thursday and staying until December 30? It will be lovely but adds its own level of stress to have someone here, and to need to cook a real supper every night for those 11 days. So today I not only have piano lessons, but intense grocery shopping, and the final pick up of Christmas gifts that have arrived at the various stores, as well as a few returns already…LOL, ’tis the season, eh?
So sorry I can’t chatter more; once Nadine arrives, it may be simpler for me…or may not, LOL!
Have a grand one, everyone!
Pocket List – Day 17 🍏
@at
@excelsior12309 FD800
@stitchincarol
Say, is anyone lined up for January? I’ll volunteer unless someone else was planning on it.
2nd Post – Day 17
@northgeorgia – congrats on reaching the 220’s! 🎯💪
Pocket List – Day 17 🍏
@at
@excelsior12309 FD800
Day 17 – USA/GA – NFD
Weigh-in: 229 lbs! Last time I weighed this was my birthday this past summer. Now, the reality is the holiday season is about to set in, so I am well aware it could be the last I see of the 220s this year and I was really just expecting to maintain weight through the entire month of December. However, I also didn’t expect to actually hit the 220s at all this month either, so … wow!
For those of you struggling, don’t worry, it’s the holidays — just remember not every single minute of every day is a celebration of mindless stuffing of treats, only certain moments are 🙂 I think it’s OK to celebrate; we are human and we have our cultural festivities! It just doesn’t have to be a three or four week non-stop munchathon.
@merryapple I hadn’t heard about the earthquake. I heard so far there is one confirmed fatality and many more injured. I hope the aftershocks will be very mild in the area.
Thank you for sharing this information…
Day 17-No. VA USA-FD 800
Wow! Everyone sounds so busy. My weight is steady from the other day, so OK, as I did a lot of carbs yesterday and the day before.
@stitchincarol, your get-together with family sounds epic. I imagine all those young children and holiday festivities must have been fun but also controlled chaos, as they say. For me, it would have been a “busman’s holiday”! I did not come from a big family, but my husband’s family get-togethers at Christmas were large and noisy and fun.
@funshipfreddie, I hope we shall see some impressive work from your last class! Also, I am distressed about the idea of a prawn-sized cricket…I don’t mind beetles, which are pretty slow, but crickets and their cousins the roaches move too fast for me!
@molij, it sounds as if you had a wonderful visit, and not too much weight damage done!
@merryapple, you are remarkably cavalier about the earthquake and aftershocks!!! But I guess you don’t have much choice when you live where you live. The price of the stunning beauty of the islands. Hope your hand mobility and strength is increasing steadily.
@northgeorgia, your weight is slowly dropping! Try adding a spoonful of “soup base” to the broth. It comes in many flavors and adds some really good concentrated taste to soups. (Available in the canned soup aisle of your local grocery store!)
@missybear, staying out of the kitchen is hard to do this time of year. Good you are busy.
@jaifaim, keep the momentum. Your holding steady, with all your activities, is inspiring.
Happy day to all!
Good morning I feel much better today. Hemmy well done on the pound loss and Nana, you both do well. Got lots of smarthome stuff to play with, thermometers for each room which also tell the humidity as well. Sensors to turn on lights when I enter the room and turn off when I leave the room.If I can work out how to do it 😁.Smart plugs that tell exactly how much electricity you have used to whatever is plugged into it.All can be done from my phone. I can get Alexa to turn the telly on and off and even change TV channels so no searching for the remote.Denise used to call all the smarthome stuff but when the internet was down one night she was moaning because she had to get out of bed too turn off the light😀😃😃
Second post.
Somehow did not see the last few posts on the page.
@funshipfreddie enjoy your last class for the year and love the story of your guest cricket.. 🫣
@merryapple 👏👏 to you!!
I have not seen any news so am off to look.. I have a friend travelling over there at the moment so must check in with her. She is hiking somewhere near Milford Sound this week I think…
Kia Kaha 💪 as you say… I love it.
Day 17 – Ireland – NFD 🚫 ✅ 🚶🏽♀️ 🌾
155.9 ⬇️
😁 in my most optimistic of moods I thought I’d see a super whoosh this morning 🫣 even though I’ve never worked out what causes a whoosh for me… but with a controlled weekend and a great FD yesterday and increased exercise over the past week or so I thought it might be so… but nope.. still here hovering.. but happy that I’m in the 155s. Today will not be a usual mid week CD as I’m having a nice breakfast (protein only) but then off to a cafe mid morning which does yummy GF cakes. So there you go! My plan for the day…will then have a good rest of the week. We can do this 💪
@molij – so great to have you back and to hear you had such a lovely day one with the family 💕💕
Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕
Day 17 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD
@merryapple – December goal reached?!! Now to stay there 👏 🎯 🥇
@molij – no more power outages recently. Interesting that your DH worked for Eskom. That’s half the problem here now though, in many government depts; so many people in jobs they aren’t qualified for. All aboard the gravy train. Those crickets – they call them ‘Parktown Prawns. Or African king crickets. Truly revolting creatures! One appeared in my bathroom years ago when I lived in Johannesburg. It was sat in the tub, looking around like it was mentally remodelling the place & not planning on leaving anytime soon. So I got the caretaker to shift it. It took her about 10 seconds. I felt like such a wuss 🤣
A little late maybe, but – ‘7 holiday situations – and how to navigate them’. From the low-carb dietdoctor.com site:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/holiday
Gotta dash, last mosaic class of 2024 today.
Pocket List – Day 17 🍏
@at
Day 17 NZ NFD 68.4kg 🏃🏼♀️
I walked up Mt Eden on my own today which meant I could concentrate on waving my arms around with the UFC 1 kg weights on my wrist.
There has been a 7.3 earthquake in Vanuatu at a depth of 57km which is shallow. The epicentre was close to the downtown and city buildings have pancaked, including the newly built American Embassy… Our defence force is on standby to go there. The thing about earthquakes is that there is never just one. Christchurch had more than 3,000 aftershocks…
NZ trashed England in the last cricket test. England won the first two so they have won the series👏
@jaifaim I never thought of using chippies / crisps as a source of salt replacement 🤣 until now😬
@stitchincarol A good controlled day will mean you drop back to your new range so Kia Kaha!! (stay strong)
@molij Welcome back home!! Lovely to hear you’ve had a great time with your family. I’m sure a lean week leading up to the 25th will correct any rises!!
@funshipfreddie Great to hear you’re back on track!! I can feel the PFDS glow from here!!
I’ve got to disappear out to the Guild Christmas party now.
Remember quality NOT quantity!!!!
Nana..
Well done on your half a pound off, you are so regular with it.. hope hubby soon feels better and you don’t get it…
Dave..
Hope you are soon feeling better.
Hedgehog..
My pastry was balanced both ways so I joined it together, it should be ok.
His partner did this about 6 months ago, no one knew and he was very upset, she came back after a week. She left this time and told him she would tell him Friday if she was coming back or not. He got the first flight out. He won’t be taking her back. He is already planning ahead .. he would like to go to the mines to work for a year, make some money and come back home UK and buy a house. Still things change.
I don’t like Christmas any more, I had such fun with Steve over Xmas. I can understand your mum especially when she’s not good either.
Hemmy..
Well done on your pound off you do really well. I have had a good fd not hungry at all.
All ready for tomorrow, quiche to build and bake and trifle topping to go on.. pastry all well, resting in the fridge. I will do after walk..
Jean x
Good evening everyone.. .. the days are going on wheels now..Xxxx
Another very mild day. hopefully it will last a while yet I dont like snow and ice.
After walking did a shop at Tesco.. cheeses nuts and other bits..
I was pleased this morning to see I had lost a pound of the two I had put on. Hopefully the other one gone by Friday.
Dave… I wonder what caused you to feel so ill. Did you eat anything that might have been suspect.. ..Hopefully it s just a 24 hr bug.
Nana.. Well done on your loss. Hope hubby is feeling better soon.
H H .. Its no wonder Mum is stressed .. there is alwasy such a lot of rush and pressure at this time of year.. You can feel . plus a sad time for many.. missing loved ones. Christmas never seems to get easier .
Sym… Hope your fasting is going well. Are you all pastry ready now for vistors tomorrow.
Enjoy your evening everyone Peace, Love, Health, Comfort, ✨- all the rest is nothing.. Xxxx
Evening!
Poor you Dave, I hope you feel better soon, an unexpected FD 🤗
Jean- have a nice day with your visitors tomorrow…very annoying with the pastry! I do some new recipes grams & some old ounces, can’t convert one to the other very easily though! Poor grandson, is he really upset?
Nana- hope hubby feels better soon too, shame to miss your meal tonight. Is his back any better?
Hemmy- what have you been up to today?
The tractors were brilliant yesterday, very late though! Have been to see youngest son today, & got the Christmas cakes iced, will leave that to dry for a couple of days & then decorate them. Going out early tomorrow with my friend & her dog.
Disappointed that the scales are exactly the same but I skipped breakfast and didn’t eat until 3pm.
Shall aim to do the same for 2 more days this week. Sharing out the work chocolate with the boy.
How wonderful to see your little granddaughter in her dance show, Iona. I don’t have any grandkids or expect to have any which is sad.
Onwards and downwards fast friends
Posted a few Christmas cards stamps cost a fortune. Over 20 quid for a few stamps and they were second class. On feeling absolutely lifeless.No energy at all. Managed to take Chloe out twice one more to go. Might be an early night tonight.
Day 16 – Rural Nebraska, USA – FD800 – 159.2
That weight is a result of thinking I could rest on my “laurels”…turns out my laurels of restraint are not so very strong! Sunday was the extended family Christmas (DH’s family, since mine is mostly in California), and it was a race to do all my church stuff and then get home to cook the already-marinated pork tenderloin and wrap two presents for the exchange and then be on our way–whew, LOL! There were 39 of us, and 16 of them were children, most of them under the age of 10, and the announcement that one of the neices is pregnant with her first–what a fun time it was. I had a reasonable meal, but way too much wine and dessert, and then thought I ought to eat more when we got home, so that explains the hideous weight this morning and the decision for a FD800. It is also likely responsible for the four hours I was awake in the night, but I knitted and made some solid progress, and then went back to bed for another four hours of sleep, giving me a total of eight, so I’m not feeling in need of any sympathy, LOL. But I AM feeling in need of additional hours in this day because my to-do list is very long, so this is my chatter.
Have a grand one, everyone!
Pocket List – Day 16 🍅
@merry🍎
@brightonbelle
@missybear
@molij
@northgeorgia
@jaifaim
@stitchincarol FD800
Afternoon everyone, not too bad a week for me last week as I managed to lose half a pound.
We we’re supposed to be going to visit our Newmarket friends for a curry this evening but my OH is unwell with an upset stomach so we’ve cancelled it.
Dave hope you start to feel better soon.
Jean it’ll be nice for you to see William over Christmas hope he’s able to fit in with the plans in place.
Hemmy I’ve never eaten out on Christmas Day other than at family members homes. My sister always eats out at a favourite pub near to her.
Hedgehogs it’s so sad how things are with your mum, Christmas can be a stressful time can’t it.
Enjoy your evening everyone.
Nana xxx
Day 16 Wales 🏴 FD
Quick and late check on a very busy day, all routine stuff and great for keeping me away from the kitchen and no time to acknowledge hunger!
Hope my fellow Monday fasters are having a good day too.
Pocket List – Day 16 🍅
@merry🍎
@brightonbelle
@missybear
@molij
@northgeorgia
@jaifaim
Day 16 North Wales FD
Just got back from a wonderful 10 days with the family. Unfortunately I did eat and drink too much so I really do need to try hard this week to reset. I have got a lot of posts to catch up on here. I will do my best.
We were so lucky to miss the really high winds being as we were in the Midlands although we came back to yet another tree which had fallen on to of our chicken run. Luckily we do not have too much damage and the Chickens were not traumatised.
@funshipfreddie your power outages must be getting so annoying. Hope they stop soon. My ex husband worked for Eskom when we lived in SA. Glad your rule breaking did not result in a massive weight gain.
@jaifaim brilliant to hear you are knocking on the maintenance door. I liked your description of the word Darragh. Well done resisting crisps. Salty snack avoidance is something I struggle with.
@missybear you are doing so well. I really need to get into the zone and do better. When we first moved to Wales we had a lot of trouble with the post. SAT NAV always sent delivery drivers up the wrong lane. Things have improved recently.
@stitchincarol happy belated birthday 🎂 Your Christmas concert sounded lovely. I have just come back from the supermarket where local children were singing carols in the foyer. They were wonderful.
@songbirdme brilliant weight loss.
@merryapple your story about the Weta made be laugh. So glad you found it. It reminded me of when my mother in law came to visit us in South Africa and she complained about a chirping in her room. She freaked out when I told her it was a cricket she could hear. The crickets in SA are huge compared to the ones we get in the UK. Brilliant news about your nephew getting into Nedical school. Glad your hand exercises are helping.
@at hope all of your decorating is finished.
@ccco loved your story about porch pirates 😂
@excelsior12309 hope you are feeling better. Gastroenteritis is not nice.
@iona72 glad your scale is steady. I love watching the grandchildren in their classes be it dancing, football, gymnastics, swimming or their Christmas Nativity.
Pocket List – Day 16 🍅
@merry🍎
@brightonbelle
@missybear
@molij
@northgeorgia
@jaifaim
Morning All…
A mild day not cold… a late walk, I went on the river bank this morning, I didn’t wake to till 8am very unusual for me.
Popped to shops I needed dry eye drops I have finished them from the hospital. Got a few top up things.. Tesco dated things are up to 25th today so I will buy cream and things on Friday.
Making pastry for visitors tomorrow, I didn’t have my glasses on decided to do in grams?? Why!.. what a piddly bit..washed everything up I had to get it out again and make more… I usually do ounces!!
Grandson William on his way home from Perth for holiday, spilt up with his partner. They have been together for two years lived together for 8 months. My daughter has planned things to do as she has been upset about both boys away. Xmas dinner out, coming to me Boxing Day, going away for the night on 29th, other things too.. see how it goes.
I am fasting today..
Dave ..
Sorry to hear you are under the weather lots of bugs about. Just seen on local news our large hospital are making people use masks again.
Hope every one else are keeping well..
Jean x
Good afternoon everyone, feeling under the weather today. Feeling sick and I was sat on the toilet with a bucket on my knee. Not had anything to eat had a cuppa but that made me feel sick. So just water don’t know if I’ll try food later. I will take Chloe out she’s not been yet.
Day 16 – USA/GA – FD
Weigh-in: 231 lbs. Here’s to another planned FD800. Last night, I sauteed onions in butter, added some celery leaves and garlic, then put in some frozen, previously cooked, cubed pork tenderloin alongside crushed tomatoes with basil, half a can of canned vegetables, a small can of canned mushrooms, and half a quart of beef broth, with some thyme, pepper, and garlic powder. Yeah, it’s better to have fresh or frozen veggies instead, but I want to get into the habit of “making my own” instead of buying up prepackaged soups. I find doing so makes about six servings, give or take, and though I’m sure higher in calories than my usual 500 calorie count, I always seem to lose weight and psychologically stay satisfied into the next FD. The soup is good, but not great — but the constant change up of what proteins, vegetables, and stock is used keeps my whiny subconscious constantly guessing.
Pocket List – Day 16 🍅
@merry🍎
@brightonbelle
@missybear
@molij
@northgeorgia
@jaifaim
Day 16 – Ireland – FD 🚫 ✅ 🚶🏽♀️ 🌾
157.1 ⬇️
Good morning everyone! Well done to the warriors! I didn’t fast but I was one 🏹👍
I had a lovely morning with friends and then did exactly as planned and relaxed for the afternoon. I didn’t get to read the posts though so have just caught up.
I had a minor win though or a major one in my eyes…:
Not one crisp (potato chip) passed my lips this weekend. I am prouder of this than abstaining from any alcohol as I find the lure of crispy, salty snacks stronger than any other… usually if I expend a lot of energy I’ll allow myself salty high calorific snacks and justify it by thinking my body needs the sodium. 😊
😂😂 @funshipfreddie yes that’s 💯 it 😂😂😂 pure comedy!! It gave me a great laugh this morning … we were so well received in the USA earlier this year and met so many with Irish ancestry – the diaspora is truly alive and well 💚💚 Slainsh 🫣😂🫣 🥂
or Sláinte as we say… (slawnsha) 😂😂😂
I started the longer video but will finish looking at it this evening – so interesting! I stay away from most UPFs these days… And @merryapple crapola it is!!!
I have lined up the Dior documentary also… maybe Christmas viewing.. I have always wanted to get out to the Isle of Lewis so maybe in the next few years I will. It sounds like you have had a lovely few days tripping around the city in the heat 😁 although the weather sounds crazy! Well done to you on keeping up with your exercises and activities!!! The doctors will be impressed with you I am sure! 👏 It has been a long old road for you 💕
@ccco bravo to you!!! Salt is a real problem for so many things as we age… I saw my colleague literally showering her meal (already salty) last week I wanted to hop over the table to stop her… but I didn’t…😂
@stitchincarol thanks for those motivational words… you are right 😊 no one around me could guess my weight and I do look well at the moment but it’s just a teeny weeny bit annoying when you know you are passing up lots of bad choices and not seeing success BUT I know deep down that my body and brain are thanking me ♥️ Wow!!! Your account of your car trip back then and this weekend makes me think you have a sixth sense but also that you have a lovely hubby who knows when to go with your flow ♥️♥️ I’m trying yo take care of all those piddly things today…and thought I had bought more than enough Christmas cards but turns out I need more now.. 🤨
@brightonbelle I hope you get to relax after your busy time and that your FIL is well. 💕
Good going @northgeorgia ⬇️
Hey @iona72 well done on maintaining 👏 and isn’t it lovely to just have a taste of all these treats without overdoing it? That’s the key 🎄 and you can really enjoy your party on Thursday knowing you’ve put the work in in the lead up.
@missybear 👏👏👏 same to you and hope you had a good weekend.
Onward and downward ⬇️
We rise by lifting others 💕
Pocket List – Day 16 🍅
@merry🍎
@brightonbelle
@missybear
@molij
@northgeorgia
@jaifaim
Day 16 – South Africa 🇿🇦 – NFD 70.5 kgs
My FD went splendidly. And despite last week’s splurges, I weigh exactly the same as a week ago, so I’m happy 😇
It’s a public holiday today, Day of Reconciliation. Nine days before Christmas? Half the country is already on holiday anyway! And the other half is either retired or unemployed 🤔
@ccco – I’m glad you liked the video. These big food companies are just as bad, if not worse than the cigarette companies ever were. Dr Van Tulleken has written a best-selling book too, ‘Ultra-Processed People’, but I haven’t read it yet. Ditto what @merryapple said about healthy snacks for your grand-kids. Children love fruit, & although it still contains sugar, it’s not so easy to overeat it.
Half-way through Dodgy December! Sending steely RESOLVE to the Monday fasters 💪
Pocket List – Day 16 🍅
@merry🍎
@brightonbelle
@missybear
@molij
@northgeorgia
Day 16 NZ FD 69.2kg 🏃🏼♀️☔️
We had a v wet dog walking this morning. The top half of the country’s rain came in accompanied by thunderstorms from the tropical ocean (warm and wet) and the bottom half had cold rain from the Southern Ocean…
I am doing hand exercises, which includes knitting and bicycling, to get my hand, wrist and forearm moving. It’s v stiff but improving. Every week I can bend (flex and extend) 5 degrees further…✊✋🫷🫲🫱🤌 I’m not waiting for clearance from the doctors as my next appointment is in January and it would be completely frozen like a mannequin’s hand…😬 I had no idea 12 weeks of immobility would create such problems…
@ccco How about some healthy treats that you and your grandchildren can share??!!
@northgeorgia Great to read of your new found 💪
@jaifaim It’s all about great food. No point in eating crappola😅
@brightonbelle I’m joining you on the reset😄
@funshipfreddie Half price chocolate means you can eat twice as much. Great logic🤣
Remember quality over quantity!!🎄🎄🎄
Pocket List🍅
@brightonbelle
@merry🍎
Thin Spitting Image is about the leave Britbox Australia, I’ve just binge watched it for that reason.
While the $12 for 3 bottles of red wine might equate to a pint or two at a pub, its really important to remember that the cost of ‘the pint’ includes all that you are using by being at the pub – the atmosphere, staff wages, toilets, entertainment, cleaning, set up costs, buying the business and all the thousand and one costs that are associated with being in business. They have to cover all of this and hopefully at some stage make a profit and it can only happen if patrons spend money in the pub.
So for this reason I have a very different view to yours Thin. Even though I live on minimal income and have to watch every cent, I feel it is so important to support establishments to survive and hopefully thrive by spending money so the venue can continue to provide us with live entertainment, food and drinks while employing people and contributing to the fabric of the community.
There is one pub where I live and if patrons only bought one drink and nothing else the pub would certainly close because they would be making a loss. The pub provides lunch and dinner 7 days a week, a social club, bar snacks, raffles, weekly members draw, pool table, kids play area, christmas and easter functions for patrons and kids and free live entertainment. It needs the community to support all of these things to survive and stay open. If the pub closes, the social connections of this community go with it.
We reached exactly 46 deg (nice round figure) at 5.15pm under my back verandah yesterday and at 10am this morning we are currently sitting at 40.4 deg. I’m not going to complain about the heat as I made a point during winter of mentally telling myself how much I hate the cold, how hard it is to get out of bed in the mornings and how difficult it is to get motivated so I’m embracing the heat. Although I’m stuck inside during these heatwaves, on a normal hot day I still get out and about and the heat doesn’t bother me too much, I love living in shorts and singlets.
The garden workload is reduced now everything is on a watering system and timers, with the exception of the spare block with the native and olive trees which are on watering systems but not timers so still easy to just turn the tap on and come back half and hour later and turn it off again. I didn’t have time to install pop up sprinklers in the lawn when I laid it earlier in the year but I have since purchased some and hope to have those installed soon, a lot easier than dragging the hose and sprinkler around the back yard. The garden is fairing very well in the heat with the exception of most of my nasturtiums which are now shriveled up and dead – the sun and heat yesterday was just too much for them.
I have some halloumi cheese in the fridge so halloumi salad for lunch today, its been ages since I had halloumi so looking forward to it. Time to go, you guessed it – coffee time.
Evening All..
Two good walks a good dry day, temperatures up a bit.
Cleaning and faffing before my visitors Tuesday.
Hemmy..
Your lady sounds fun, nice walking with different people. Good you sorted your tax returns not a good job to do.
Dave..
You have had the bad weather we have been lucky..
Hedgehog..
My checkup is at my own opticians 4 miles away I will drive..then I will sort a date out for the other.
The light parade sounds lovely, enjoy.
Jean x
Evening All..
Two good walks a good dry day, temperatures up a bit.
Cleaning and faffing before my visitors Tuesday.
Hemmy..
Your lady sounds fun, nice walking with different people. Good you sorted your tax returns not a good job to do.
Dave..
You have had the bad weather we have been lucky..
Hedgehog..
My checkup is at my own opticians 4 miles away I will drive..then I will sort a date out for the other.
The light parade sounds lovely, enjoy.
Jean x
USA. Day 15. CD
I would have been responding to posts earlier but I got engrossed in the YouTube video that Funshipfreddie sent us. It was excellent! I thank him for that!
Yes, like Funshipfreddie said, with all those FDs, I should be a bean pole by now. However, since I have had my grandchildren over fairly frequently, I have bought snacks for them. Guess what I am doing when they are not here?? I am working on that.
Merryapple, I am enjoying the Gaelic. My grandparents were fluent in it but only shared a little with us. The YouTube video you mentioned sounds fun. I like to look at fashion. No gain for December is a good goal for the holiday season!
Also, I am glad to see you have been able to get out and about but I am jealous of your warming weather. It’s freezing here!🥶
I am holding in my fast today. Still haven’t eaten anything but had black coffee and water, so far!
Hope everyone has been enjoying their weekends! 👍🏻
Afternoon!
Hemmy- it must be nice to do something different at Christmas when you miss loved ones, it’s hard with the memories, I don’t enjoy Christmas so much now without dad…Yes, Mum is definitely worse because of Christmas, overwhelmed with it all, even though she doesn’t have too much. Just hope that she improves after, it’s been a bit like that other years.
Dave- what roast are you having today? Xena sniffs all the lamp posts last thing at night too, she doesn’t in the day time, too excited to get somewhere better! She knows the night walk is boring, just round the block!
Jean- are you okay to go for your checkup next week, or is it a long way? Will be nice to get that out the way, & hopefully a date for the other side!
Going out to watch the tractor Christmas lights parade coming through the village shortly, they’re very vague about the time though! Will be a late dinner though…
