Great time had.

 

My birthday was so lovely. I got loads of messages on what's app, Facebook and text. Thank you. House of Gods was perfect. Glasgow was great fun and the extra night at Hideaways was delightful. We really had the best time. It was so nice. 

The card from Isaac (addressed to Gillian B Wilson, obviously Mum is far too informal) said 'Happy 21st + 12,419 days Birthday' lol, so sweet.  He even managed to leave the price on it - smack in the middle of the front, not even hidden on the back. 

I put 1lb on which I guess is ok. Back to normal eating again and hopefully it'll fall off, soon. Before we go away again. 

At the end of June we have the Riga Ball, organised my the Riga clinic in Latvia for previous bariatric patients. It's in Coventry and I'm really looking forward to it. It'll be nice to meet others who I've maybe chatted to on the Facebook page and I'm very excited to meet up with a couple of the girls I had surgery with. I have the choice of two long dresses that fit me again (maybe even a little bit too big, but fine). And I'll be staying with my sister and BiL for a few days which will be fabulous.

Bella has learnt how to open doors. She's been opening the outside door from the garden into the house for some time but now she's mastering all the internal doors. Nothing is sacred. She'll appear with a sock in her mouth that she's stolen from the washing basket! She is incorrigible, but loving her life. 

PS if anyone fancies a stay at The Hideaway Experience mention my name and you'll get 10% discount - oh, and use this code HIDEFRIENDS24

I don't have time to worry about the people who don't like me, I'm too busy loving the ones who love me. 

Birthday

 

So I decided to treat myself to this chemise for my birthday. Before I lost weight I'd come home from work, have a bath or shower (depending on season) then put on my 'slob suit' or PJ's with dressing gown. But not now, oh no. I now put on a silk nightie or silky PJ's with a velvet robe, and I strut around the house like I'm the bees knees. I mean, no one in my home takes a blind bit of notice apart from Bella, who tells me I'm gorgeous. If I'm really being honest Mark loves it. And it's not necessarily the fact I'm in a sexy negligee, which he thinks is definitely an improvement on my baggy velour two piece, but more because I'm wearing a huge smile. And hey, I think I look pretty ok in my new chemise. 

Can you believe I missed one of my freebies last week? Freebies that probably actually cost a fortune like! I forgot to tell you that I've been saving my Boots Advantage points and now have enough for a night's B&B in Kinross House. I recycle at Boots for the extra points, that soon add up. Awesome. I recommend anyone to recycle your toiletries with them.

So on Sunday we're off to Glasgow to celebrate my 55th (how old?? Wow, and I don't look a day over 54 lol). Remember we stayed at the House of Gods in Edinburgh in March? Well this is the brand new Glasgow one and I'm even more excited than I was in Edinburgh! I know what's in store this time and I can't wait. We've booked an Argentine restaurant for Sunday night, and Amarone (Italian) for a late lunch on Monday. We're going to the cinema to see The Fall Guy. And on the way home Tuesday we're using our first freebie with a night at The Hideaways near Dundee. I think I'm going to have a lovely birthday, as always. I've had a tough week at work so I'm really looking forward to relaxing, eating, drinking and doing a bit of shopping. Mark had decided it's time I had new underwear. He laughs at the huge knickers I'm still wearing, some I can pull up to my boobs they are so big. You never know I might even start wearing matching knickers and bras again. It's been quite a while since I coordinated my underwear. Gosh, how my life has changed in the last year! 

News you are all waiting for.... I'm another 2lb down so that's me at my pre holiday weight of 10st 11lbs! Yay. Just in time for my weekend away. Of course. 

I hope you all have a great week and I'll speak to again you next Friday. 

Today is the oldest you've ever been, and the youngest you'll ever be again. Make the most of it.

Travel

 

Those of you who regularly read my chatterings here may have an inkling that I'm a wee bit partial to a holiday or five. Whether it's sunny or snowy (or even something in between) and whether it's overseas, UK or just down the road, I just love a get away. I don't know when this desire started, I used to be your standard go to Europe for a couple of weeks in the summer kind of holiday maker. And I don't know why I'm so keen because I have a lovely home and garden right here with a fridge full of food and a cupboard filled with a huge variety of drink. The only think lacking here is a hot tub (which I'm not allowed!)

This year is going to be exceptional. As a member of Sandals loyalty scheme we earned a free weeks holiday when in Antigua. We have a silver anniversary voucher for Ardoe House which will get us a couple of nights. I have a free night through hotels.com and a free night at The Hideaways! Wow, how amazing. I'm so excited. How lucky am I? 

So we've been going to Sandals in the Caribbean for a decade. I joined the loyalty programme straight away. You get points which gives you discounts on the next holiday, a bottle of rum, discount in the spa and shop etc., and as you work up the levels you get more points and complimentary massages and such like. When you've stayed for 70 nights you get a free week. So when we were in Antigua we hit 72 nights and were awarded our certificate. This week I've been keen to book that holiday. However... When I spoke with the Sandals team they discovered that one trip to Grenada a few years ago we had an extra night because our flight was cancelled due to a hurricane. The extra night was put on the loyalty programme as an extra week. We only had 66 nights, 4 short. Argh! Long story short they let us book our free week as long as we booked extra 4 nights. In the end we booked free week in St Vincent and the Grenadines (brand new resort, opened just a month ago) for March 2025 and we are going to Grenada in September this year to make up the short fall. Yay!

So talking of holidays, I've lost 2lb of my 4lb gain. Back in the 10 stones but still hoping to lose a bit more. Of course all these holidays don't actually help! 

Be yourself, because everyone else is taken.

Poor baby

 

Bella had her operation yesterday, no babies for her now. She's ok, just feeling a bit sorry for herself I think. She had an internal bleed during the procedure but they're happy it was sorted before she was stitched. 

So I put 4 lbs on. I mean it's not that bad considering I was away from home 10 nights as I used to manage a pound night in the old days. But I think that's the problem. I feel a bit rotten about it because it's just horrible memories of always gaining loads when away on holiday. And it never shifting, and me just growing. I hoped the extra would melt away once home but alas, thus far, it's stubbornly stuck! If I haven't lost it next week I confidently know I'll be pretty fed up. 

Even though I had a holiday novel or two I tended to just listen to podcasts next to the pool. Mostly Zoe's Science & Nutrition and Michael Mosley's Just One Thing - both very interesting if you're not familiar with them. After a while I wanted something new, so I found A Thorough Examination with the Van Tulleken twins. The first series was about Xander being overweight and Chris (nagging) being worried about him. To say I could relate to everything they were talking about is a massive understatement. Ah man, when Xander got choked up so did I. It was really very good and talked a lot about Ultra Processed Food. Apparently the easiest way to recognise a UPF is if there are any ingredients on the packet that you wouldn't find in your kitchen! I've now become obsessed about trying to cut UPF's out of our diets. And it's hard. There's the obvious ready meals and low fat cereal bars, that's easy. But some kitchen staples like tinned soup, ketchup, crisps and biscuits. I make my own soup but always have emergency tins for a quick lunch. I make biscuits but not every day and my husband and son eat biscuits, and crisps, and cereal and bread. I can't start making bread every day! If I told Mark he couldn't have crisps or bourbons he'd divorce me! A balance is what I've settled for - after making minestrone soup and cookies! 

Talking of podcasts. Every time I listened I kept thinking 'gosh, they talk fast, does everyone talk so fast'. Until Ellie got in the car when I was listening to one. Mum, have you got your listening speed turned up? I had no idea a listening speed was even a thing! Anyway, she's checked and yes, I was up to 1.4 lol. It's back to normal now and boy do people speak slowly. 

Don't be scared of life coming to an end, be scared of it not beginning.

T-shirt over my head

 

Before I came on holiday I did a little fashion catwalk for Ellie with all my summer clothes. We had piles of - bin, charity, sell and obviously keep. It was sometimes sad that something was too big for me to wear but I have to say that it was sheer delight fitting into two items. The black silk skirt that I've barely worn, though this photo doesn't do it justice and the red and white polka dot silk dress. I haven't managed to wear this for years and years. The happiness to fit into these clothes wasn't the tear inducing happiness of having children, nor the joy of running round a football pitch with my t-shirt over my head because I've scored a goal. No, it's more the strutting around feeling fabulous with a smug grin on my face. Priceless. 

I've posted a before bikini picture (last September (the one on the left) when I thought I was looking great) and this week (one on the right), I hope looking greater with a 2 stone loss between the two. We've had an amazing holiday and such a nice anniversary. This kind of holiday is not everyone's cup of tea but I've loved relaxing in the sun, drinking cocktails and eating (albeit small portions) of delicious food. Mark has been diving but GP wouldn't sign me off (long story) so I've just chilled and listened to motivating podcasts when he's been away. #so jealous. But our next holiday I'll be diving too! Being alone is very reflective. Which I find therapeutic. Naturally I prefer being with people but I do think it's good for the mind and soul to have time to think about stuff. Any stuff at all. For me it's been (no surprises here) how different I feel after weight loss and how happy I am to still be Mark's wife. Naturally, like all marriages, we've had a few downs but for me the ups make it all worthwhile. I can give you a big list of complaints but he has an equally long list about me. The biggest plus is that he supports me. In my decisions about work, blogging, bringing up children, surgery for weight loss, spending money (ok, not always this one!) and most other things. He is my favourite person (though I have a few who are a close second lol).

I'm a great gardener! The plant should have tried harder.