Ladies

 

As you can see I've been to the dentist and had a tooth root cut out of my gum. Cow bone has been inserted which will hopefully fuse to my own bone. I've had six stitches which will be removed in a couple of weeks. Hopefully in 9 months I'll be able to get a new tooth implanted. I do have a false one to tide me over. So I won't be scaring the children for long. It's just my Halloween look.

So if you're not a lady you might want to turn away now. In fact some ladies might want to miss the rest too. I'm talking about periods. Yes it's been discussed before here, but mostly the PMT aspects. Now it's the nitty gritty. My periods started almost 40 years ago on 13 March 1981 (and yes, it was a Friday!). I was still only 11 years old. I hated them then (though it made me feel grown up) and I hate them more now. For starters I've always had bad cramps that last at least 2 days if not more. I was told they'd get better after having children - they haven't! So 2 days every month for 40 years is 960 days (about 3 solid years!) of pain and misery. Ok we can take off pregnancy and breast feeding months but still! On top of that we have sanitary protection. In 1981 a huge wad in your knickers like a nappy! Yuk. But at least I didn't have to wear a sanitary belt like 60 years ago. And trying to negotiate tampons at the tender age of 11 was interesting. I abandoned my first try, and just popped it back in the box. My older sisters were not impressed (unsurprisingly - jeez Gilly!?) I was very young! Of course we all have our period pants. Black, big, comfy things. No one wants to wear their pretty sexy knickers at this time of the month. (No! I didn't have sexy knickers at 11, now I'm talking about when I was older). I had my two children 7 years apart. For me, 10 years of menstruating would have sufficed thank you. As I get older I hate them even more. It's just a smelly sticky painful waste of time. And money. My sister did tell me about the moon cup which is very eco friendly but it didn't appeal. Luckily my periods are very very light (I absolutely feel the pain of my friends who have really heavy ones that last for days - I just can't imagine it). Anyway, the whole point of this rant is that I've discovered actual period pants! No other protection needed! How fab is that? I'm so delighted. They are pretty big, and very comfy but they are not attractive at all. I've not even shown my husband they look so unattractive but they are so worth it. I wish they'd been invented when I was 11!! Now you might be thinking that getting period pants at the ripe old age of 51 is a bit late in the day? Maybe, but not only are they period pants they are pee pants too! Ha ha ha ha ha!

It seems impossible, until it's done.

Sex sells...

...In so much as my blog the other week with my skinny dipping picture had double readers than normal! One pervert looking at my bum over and over? Lol. Liz is this you?? 

Who doesn't love autumn? All the lovely colours and crisp frosty mornings with mist on the meadows. Pulling out your cosy woolly jumpers and nice thick tights to cover your legs (mostly ladies - but I'm not judging). Comfy boots can be worn every day. Our covid restrictions forcing us to see family and friends outside, but this is nice. Fresh air and pompom hats. Fingerless gloves (which I don't actually have but would like (Xmas is coming) - colourful jolly ones not boring ones. Anyone? 😄). Sitting in the garden with an indulgent hot chocolate, and homemade s'mores (see pic above). Sometimes with a blanket wrapped around my legs like a little old lady - brilliant. The chiminea lit giving off a lovely warmth and a wood crackling noise. I've already shared a few hot mulled wines with my neighbours! Early? But why not? It's also the best time to use a hot tub. I don't have one of these either but I can obviously only ask one person for this Christmas gift! Son, you want to buy mum a hot tub?? It's getting dark at night, and even darker after this weekend. But the house has a lovely glow as we put on the corner lamps and light the scented candles. TV has new series' starting (The Great British Bake Off is one of my absolute favourites) and watching in front of the fire is the only way. We have pumpkins and ghosts and fireworks! And the promise of a lovely Christmas. Walks in the woods and red wine with dinner. Satisfying puddings like apple crumble or jam roly poly. I could go on and on! What's not to love of autumn?

Ok I suppose I should mention my weight loss. Nothing to report I'm afraid this week. Stayed the same. Too many s'mores I'm guessing lol.

There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.

My diet

I wrote this blog and went to add the photo. I hit the wrong button and I lost all the text! So this is me writing it again. I bet it's not as funny as the first edit 😢 

So my weight loss? I put on 3lb on holiday but I've lost it this week so that's good - hooray! I'm now 14st 9lb which is 2lb heavier than June but 10lb lighter than March when I started. I've been having lots of thoughts about my diet this week.

Firstly, I watched the Freddie Flintoff programme about his bulimia. It was very interesting and I could relate to a lot he was saying. Like how he feels when he looks in the mirror, looks at a photo or puts on his clothes. The guilt he feels when he eats. I found Freddie to be a little in denial about the potential consequences of this eating disorder. He needed to exercise, a lot, to compensate his eating, and of course he purged. I don't make myself sick (I detest being sick) and I don't have an eating disorder, or do I? I like healthy food but I'm drawn (compelled) to eat the 'naughty' stuff. I eat too much. I eat the wrong things too often and I feel bad about eating. On occasions I also binge. All of this is not exactly normal. But it can also go too far the other way. There is an eating disorder where someone is obsessed with only eating healthy food which is still a control thing. It's called orthorexia. I like being healthy but....

.... Let's face it I'm never going to be that person that jumps out of bed raring to go to the gym, or a 5 mile run, or that spinning class. I used to go to circuits twice a week at 6.30am for months! Often alone. I enjoyed it (when it was over) but it was always a struggle to go. I will always be that person that wants a pudding instead of a starter. To want that extra chocolate or piece of crusty bread with lots of butter. It will always be a challenge for me to watch what I eat, to resist my eating (either in the amount or the choices) and to do exercise! It makes me sad and confused that I'll spend the rest of my life (hopefully many years) fighting with myself. I don't want to be fat or unfit but the getting there, and staying there, is like pushing water uphill. Help! 

I washed all Libby's toys and hung them out to dry! She was successful in grabbing one off the line (picture below) cheeky monkey!

Be nice to strangers. They are just friends that you haven't met.

Skinny dipping

 

Right you lot, don't try zooming in to see if I've got any bum fluff. And I don't mean a juvenile moustache and beard! 

So we've been on holiday, in the Highlands. Starting at Achmelvich with the most stunning beach. Honestly it's up there with any Caribbean beach I've been to. It was gorgeous. Now I had decided that I wanted to go into the sea here before we arrived. Our first morning, we went down (only 100 yards from our accommodation pod). Me in my swimming costume, dressing gown and woolly hat. It was a lovely sunny morning and I desperately wanted to skinny dip but although it was very quiet there was a couple of people who seemed keen to see what I was doing (they clocked me in my dressing gown - and a stunning sight I was, see below and you'll be able to agree lol). With such an attentive audience I kept my costume on. In I went, with Libby swimming next to me. She thought it was the best thing ever, and she just loved swimming with me! It was very cold (though hubby assured me it would be warmer than the North Sea) but I too thought it was the best thing ever! I didn't swim - because I'm not a good swimmer. I didn't go too far in because I'm scared of water (and, yes, I am a fully qualified Advanced Open Water SCUBA diver - sorry, just wanted to get that in.) But I went all the way up to my neck and I loved it. As soon as I was out I wanted to go back in. The next morning, another lovely day and the beach was deserted! Off came my clothes and another dip in the Atlantic took place. Loved it all the more for being a rudey dudey! I was a little worried that I might have a heart attack but husband also assured me I'd be fine. And I didn't even have my woolly hat on the second time. I'd read up a bit about wild swimming and I was convinced a woolly hat was an absolute must. But I survived so it's all good.

We've walked a lot, on beaches, across moors, up hills. I wish I could share all my photos. I can't check my weight but I'm pretty sure I'll have gained. In spite of all the exercise I've enjoyed G&Ts and a few nuts before dinner, wine with dinner and pudding after dinner. After our self catering pod we had 2 nights in a hotel and enjoyed full breakfast and very tasty bar suppers! But holidays are enhanced by nice indulgent food. I'm not wrong am I? Or do I live in my fantasy world? Either way I'm sure I'll have put on a few pounds. And I don't care. I mean I don't care today. I may care a little more once I'm home, stepped on the scales, and realised I need to lose those pounds all over again! Ah poo! 

Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye! – What’s meant to happen will happen.

A different tree

 

So my tree has not grown and my bum has not shrunk this week! I think it's the time of year that effect both. Autumn has arrived in the calendar, and the weather! Brrr.

My son came home (this is allowed as he is an 'exception' - he's a single household). He was supposed to stay a week but no one told him, explicitly. There was a moment of panic when he realised this and he announced he had to be back after the weekend. A short but lovely weekend was had though. We celebrated his birthday (early). His aunts and uncles had to come in their pairs, one left as the other pair arrived.  We duly met in the garden. We supplied a lit chiminea, blankets and hot drinks - but boy it was chilly! Very civilized afternoon still. The next day we did it again with my neighbours and George. It was much less windy therefore much warmer and pleasant. I think my boy enjoyed it all.

So we have an apple tree, planted a good decade ago. The last few years it has borne fruit, and each year the crop grows. Then just a couple of years ago another (existing tree) suddenly grew apples. As you can see from the photo the fruit is pretty small! And hilarious considering we didn't even know it was an apple tree! Who knew? Just decided to spring into action one day! Anyway this year we've decided not to let the apples go to waste (we've always eaten a few but not that many). We're going to make Cider! Ooh ah! I am a Cider drinker. Hopefully it'll be drinkable but I'll let you know how it goes. The kit is sat and ready to go but I reckon it's harder than it looks. Fingers crossed we'll have mulled cider by Christmas.

Doing your best in this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.