Vacay

 

This week is more like a TripAdvisor review. I apologise for those wanting my weight loss journal but I must tell you about this gem of a place we stayed in this week. 

Swinton estates is 20,000 acres near Masham, outside Ripon in North Yorkshire. Our wooden lodge in the middle of the woods was cute and rustic. Our bed was at the top of a wooden ladder on the mezzanine. There were sheep skins and blankets and hot water bottles. The lodge has no electricity but uses candles for light, wood burner for heat and gas for cooking on a hob. Outside there was a hot tub, deck chairs, a double hammock and picnic table. Fairy lights in every nook. We were on the couple retreat package which included a bottle of prosecco, dinner one night, breakfast every morning and two sessions in the spa.

Dinner, we picked the night we arrived, we were collected and returned by car to the main hotel about 4 miles away. It was delicious, really scrummy - spicy chicken with beans and stuff. We moved outside into the garden for cheese and biscuits. (See pic above) Again there were sheep skins and blankets provided, though the evening was lovely and warm. 

Breakfast in the cafe was a short walk through a field. Bella loved it. Mark had and enormous bacon sarnie and I had yogurt and granola with banana, coconut, dark chocolate and hazelnuts. Wow! This was just awesome. The best yogurt and granola ever!

The spa had a pool and outdoor natural pool. This was cold but the nice kind of cold where you take a few deep breaths then it feels lovely. There was outside beds with sheep skins, duvets and blankets. The thermal spa had a couple of saunas and a couple of steam rooms. A small warm pool with lots of buttons for jets and bubbles. Also hot and cold foot spas. 

One of the saunas was alfresco. Round the corner was an outside nook with seating and (yes you got it) sheep skins, blankets and cushions. A wood burner for the evenings and winter days. So discrete and cosy. Everywhere there were buttons to push and a 'spa host' would appear to take your drinks or food order. We did have glasses of bubbly whilst chilling out. So relaxing. 

We had such an amazing three days at Swinton and we will definitely be going back. Loads of trails to walk and close to Ripon and Harrogate, both lovely for a visit. More pics below.

PS at the spa I saw a woman I recognised, was sure she was an actress. Then I noticed her companion was Maxine Peake. I googled her friend and I think I found her name but have since forgotten lol. 

I need six months of holiday, twice a year.

What a week!

In no particular order -

Since I last wrote I've been to the circus. We took some of our residents who really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed it but I was dismayed that clowns were no longer PC. I wasn't expecting animals (elephants, lions and horses are long gone) but what's wrong with a clown? We did see motorbikes though! 

We also had a sponsored walk at work. About a dozen residents, three able to walk and the rest in wheelchairs. Staff one to one, and a few relatives came. I don't know how far we went but it was about 4 miles. The sun shone and it was lovely and warm. It took about 2 hours. It was so enjoyable but my god it's hard work pushing a wheelchair. I've probably only pushed a wheelchair a couple of metres before so a few miles was wow! My thighs and arms are aching. My resident was very patient with me and she didn't fall out once! I'm quite chuffed that she got back in one piece. 

Yet more size 12s. My yoga pants (XL) were driving Mark crackers because they were so baggy. Every time I wore them he'd tell me that they are supposed to be fitting. In the end he ordered me two new pairs from Victoria Secrets (great sale price). When they arrived they looked tiny and the label said size 8! I thought bloody Nora he's made a boob, they won't fit. But the label was in US sizes and they fit perfectly. See photo above lol! 

I am retired! Well, I mean I managed to fill in the paperwork to draw my pension. Considering I used to work for Citizens Advice and filled in all kinds of forms for others I found my pension papers so confusing! They shouldn't make it so difficult, with all their fancy words. I've yet to see any money so maybe I flunked it. Time will tell 

We've repaid our mortgage! How bloody is exciting is this! Just over 25 years like a chain around our necks but we are free. Whoop whoop. 

Off to Ripon (obviously) to celebrate. More about this next week. 

Have a fantastic weekend and I hope we all get a little more sunshine.

Feeling unfit and ugly? Exercise and just feel ugly.

A bit weird I admit

 

So years ago, when I was dieting, and so sure that eventually I'd lose weight there were a few things on my 'when I get thin' list. One was walking up Bennachie without the palaver - nailed, (albeit I was planning on wearing size 12 jeans - not nailed).

Another was to wear my wedding ring again - cheated! After giving up on diets a couple of years ago and accepting my body beautiful (never happened) I had my ring sized. Fits me now. 

To get my diamond ring out of Mark's top drawer - another cheat. Mark bought me a ring that I was to be given when I was down to a size 12 about a decade ago. It was for inspiration/bribery/ something has to work, and was all my idea but alas it didn't work and a diamond ring was no match to being fat. I would sometimes sneak it out to wear it, and after 10 years of it sitting in a drawer I just kept it on my finger and it didn't go back in lol. 

I wanted to be able to fit into Mark's trousers. Now I admit this one is weird and I can't really explain why I wanted this other than I thought it was romantic?? I think I'd watched too many chick movies with the girl popping on the guys pants and it seemed a thing? And in my head I believe men are bigger than women, or at least should be. (Even I think this sounds sexist but I am just being honest). Anyway, weird or not, I have actually managed to get his work pants on and zipped up (see above) which made me smile (he's described as very slim). And actually I thought they'd look completely ludicrous as he's much taller than me, but they don't look too daft after all! However, I don't plan on wearing them anywhere soon.

Change of topic - can you remember the size 12 bikini I bought from Tesco? I saw it in a magazine, how exciting and then yesterday I saw it in yet another magazine! First one red (the colour I bought - as above) and then white. I've taken this to be a signal that I'm up with my fashion ha ha. I've posted screen shots below (I read all my magazines online nowadays).

I hope you're all having a good week. And love to my aunt who has received a devastating diagnosis. Just know that you are loved ♥️♥️♥️

Tough times don't last, but tough people do. 

Saggy boobs

 

We had such a lovely time at the ball last weekend, it was so nice to meet up with those I met at the clinic and meet others I've spoken to on social media. I did feel amazing in my dress, though there were a couple of issues...

1. I left my magic pants at my sister's house. This might be for the best as when I tried them on my tummy was flatter but all the extra flesh went to my chest. And not in a way that boosted my boobs, it was more like having a second pair of breasts underneath. Wasn't great.

2. I didn't have a bra that you couldn't see, so I went without. This gave my boobs a slightly saggy look. So all in all with saggy boobs and a pot belly I still looked a-okay. 

My beautiful niece, Sarah, did my hair and that looked gorgeous at least. Thank you honey. 

It was lovely to see the weight loss in my clinic friends but when I saw before pictures of the people I just met it was mind blowing. Comparing the before and after is just a wow moment. My work pally, Kelly, has created a before and after for me below. I recognise the new girl but can't quite get over the before! Was that really me? 

I can't believe I forgot to tell you last week but I bought my very first pair of dress shorts. They are white which isn't a great colour for me as I'm pretty clumsy, but (drum roll) they are a size 12!! So very chuffed. They're from H&M, and maybe they do bigger sizes but I'm still very happy. 

For those that are interested my weight has very much been stable - 10 st 12 is where I've sat for a while now. That's ok by me but let's see what the next few weeks brings. 

We don't know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.