Tuesday 26 May 2009

Rain drops and pink shoes

Is it ever going to stop raining because I can tell you I am so fed up with rain! (I see that this is not a feeling confined solely to this side of the Atlantic either. What's going on America? When we were growing up we bought into the American Dream offered by films, TV series and books which boasted of perpetual sunshine. Just in California, eh?)


We went to a wedding on Saturday and it rained. The groom was in the Royal Air Force and is a trained helicopter pilot and he and the bride left the church in a chopper. How cool was that?! At least it sounded like a helicopter; thanks to the driving rain it was pretty hard to make out what was going on...


Yesterday was a Bank Holiday (yes, a day off work. What bliss!) so of course it rained all day, apart from the early morning when I was having a lie-in.


However it is not all bad news because in an attempt to beat the blues and single handedly kick start the economy I have been shopping and have got some lovely new pink shoes (in the sales too - so a bargain, husband dear). They look pretty much like the picture.


Of course, I daren't wear them outside just yet. I mean, it might rain and ruin them...

Tuesday 19 May 2009

Self Control


Aaaaghhhh. I have NONE. Self control that is. I am addicted to sweets (candy, confectionery whatever you want to call it...), chocolate, cakes, savoury stuff etc. etc (I even adore sprouts and cabbage). Totally and utterly.
Actually I am in a bit of quandary about it all. Before I got married, I lost quite a lot of weight. I was never fat but I felt like I wanted to lose a few pounds before The Big Day and I did. Actually I lost a lot because I exercised (at the gym) and I exercised self-control. It was fun going clothes shopping and realising a size 10 (that's size 6 for my US readers) was slightly too loose because, quite frankly, I have never been skinny. It's not in my genes. (Therefore skinny jeans (get it?!) are a complete no-no for me.)
However it was never going to last (my skinny-ish phase) because I enjoy cooking, eating and baking. I am not a glutton but I like butter on my bread, cream and jam on my scones, lots of gravy on my potatoes. I also suspected during my not-eating-much phase that I was becoming obsessive and slightly irritating. (I fear may well have been irritable too... Moi? Never!). My dear husband recalls that shortly before The Big Day I told him I couldn't wait to go on honeymoon because.... I couldn't wait to eat again! The poor guy! He waits years and years and years and then his beloved says she's sees him as her one way ticket to pancakes and cappuccinos!

Anyway I know I have put on weight since I got married but, hey, I am contented and, as you have realised, I do like to eat. However since about February I have started snacking again between meals! Disaster! At lunchtime, I am wise and restrained and eat sensible things. And then I go and buy some sweets. My motives are not always good. I buy them and give them to my room mare to share... but then I eat most of them.... So now I am having panic stations and think I am becoming obese.

Part of this post is slightly tongue in cheek and I am also poking fun at myself. However a little bit of what I write is serious. I do honestly know that I am fit and healthy but there is this voice inside which makes me compare myself to people on TV and in magazines who appear (in their air-brushed way) to attain the world's ideal of "perfect" and then I feel miserable about myself which is just plain wrong. I know it is! But doesn't it just go to show how manipulative the media is (and how silly females, in particular, can be...)?


Must go. I made some chocolate biscuits last night so I need to finish up at work so I can get home soon to sample them!


later

E

Wednesday 13 May 2009

Cold Feet


For once I am not being cryptic: I haven't got metaphorical cold feet. However I suffer physically from cold feet. And it's not just me who suffers but my poor husband too.

Even when I am wearing socks my feet are cold and in bed I am likened to an ice block, even when wearing attractive bed socks and wearing fleecy PJs (which is real romance-inducing attire).

Other than layering up, any tips on how to thaw out my toes...? (And hands too, although they're nowhere near as bad as my feet.)


E

Saturday 9 May 2009

Briefly surfacing...


Sorry for the silence again. Life has just been so busy that I don't know where the past few weeks have gone. However we are well and thriving. Work has been manic. I know, particularly given the infamous global recession, that I should be glad about this - and I am. However I've been working long hours so also feel like I've been putting the rest of my life on hold.


Being aware of this, Steva & I decided to go on a "date" this afternoon and we headed to Springhill which is a National Trust property about 30 miles from where we live. It was delightful! We had such a lovely afternoon, touring the 17th century house and gardens, eating a cream tea and wandering around. It even stopped raining... Then we came home and I cooked a lovely dinner using skills learned on my recent cooking course. Aaah, happy day!