Sugar free

 

This is Bacardi, my daughter's cat who's been staying at ours for months now. She's an indoors cat but she's wondering about leaving the safety of the house for the dangers of the garden!

Today, as promised, I'm trying to improve my diet by reducing my sugar intake. I'm a little nervous as my current sugar cravings are high. I think the more you eat the more you want. 

Last Saturday I was grocery shopping and felt sure I needed to buy my 'last' packet of sweets for the car. And what would you know? My newspaper had an offer of a free bag of sweets from WHSmith. So that was sorted then. A big bag of skittles it was. And I did enjoy them. I shall miss my car sweeties I must say. 

Yesterday I was grocery shopping again. This time stocking up on my sugar free alternatives. Now remember I'm not on a diet nor trying to lose weight. I won't be perfect but I want to be better. My aim is to improve. Because of my little tummy I have little meals but I do like my snacks. So I've bought hummus, bread sticks, sugar snap peas, cheese twists, fruits and dark chocolate. I'll still have the odd biscuit and toffee but it won't be my priority. I'm looking forward to, hopefully, feel better eating less sweet stuff and more of the healthy things. My alcohol is going to reduce too. I won't cut it out but I will cut it down. It's really not good for you (except say the odd glass of red). I've heard having a little alcohol is better than being tea total (or is that just wishful thinking). I love a wine, or gin, or cocktail but it's basically empty calories but let's just see how it goes.

By biggest worry is that I've had this unbelievable thirst for a few weeks now. It screamed diabetes but my blood sugar is ok. I realised that I wasn't at l actually thirsty or dehydrated, drinking fluids did not help at all and my wee was a normal pale colour, I simply had a dry mouth! Since my tummy can't take loads of fluids I've been sucking on sweets to help my mouth and not having them is going to be so tough. A constant dry mouth is rotten, and bad for the teeth. I've got some sugar free mints instead and the pharmacist has given me some gel which I hope will help too. I don't know what's caused it but I hope it goes away soon, if it can! 

Have a good week. Think of me going crazy with my cold turkey sugar drop. I'll let you know how I get on next week. Thank you for reading!

I do all my own stunts, but never intentionally.

Painting

I have been looking for a picture for my living room for a while, and I found this one in a gallery in York, next to the Jorvik museum. I instantly loved it and it was half price, so why not. I still really love it and I'm delighted to have it hanging on my wall. 

What a great few days we had in the North East (of England). Visiting family and friends and gorgeous little places that I hadn't been to in so many years. Amble, Druridge Bay, Warkworth, Morpeth, Corbridge, Blanchland and Bamburgh. I used to live in Morpeth many years ago and it's so different now, I was very surprised. Warkworth was stunning. Blanchland has a great hotel/bar/restaurant called The Lord Crewe Arms and we enjoyed a drink (mental now to return for food over day soon). Corbridge has a very posh baker come coffee shop and I couldn't resist a purchase. A huge cinnamon knot for Mark, brownie for mum and a raspberry layer cake for me. Goodness it was expensive though. My slice of cake (huge, but still just one piece) was about £7!!! It was scummy - but £7 scummy? I was seduced, but a memory has been formed. Bella had a lovely holiday too. She was fairly well behaved, and spoilt lol. I love returning home to the North East but I love my home in the North East of Scotland too. 

Family and friends mentioned my hair and my hair plans. They seemed to like the natural colour that is forming so that's good. Obviously I've mentioned hair cutting plans on this blog a week or two ago, my thought being to cut off the last of the dyed stuff and helping the new growth catch up. But then I had an idea - I could shave it all off and raise money for charity! I thought it was inspiring but when I said it out loud in front of mum and Helen they screamed in unison 'NO!!' and persuaded me I was being very daft indeed!? Ok, so maybe I shan't get a number 2 anytime soon. Sorry charity. I acknowledge it would be murder to grow it this long again after shaving it off, but I still think it wasn't such a silly plan! 

Talking of silly plans.... I've decided to give up unnecessary, unhealthy calories in the month of August. And yes, I'm using the word unnecessary as a get out for when I really, really need that square of chocolate! My sugar consumption is off the chart, especially sweets. So I shall definitely concentrate on healthy meals and snacks and massively reduce sweets and alcohol. I might have the odd biscuit but as long as I give my diet a thorough over haul I'll be happy. It's going to be tough, I'm proper addicted, but I really am praying that after August things will be easier and worth it! I'm constantly thinking of diabetes, rotting teeth, bad microbiome and high inflammation! I will obviously keep you posted, and, as usual, it'll be the truth, even if you can't handle the truth! 

Love to all my readers and we'll speak again next week! When does August start?? 🤔

Just a few nice photos below from last week, for those who are interested. Enjoy.

I'm not perfect, but I am a limited edition.

Buried sausages

 

Last weekend was full on. It started on Friday with a walk and picnic on the beach with Mark and Bella. Mark and I had an appointment in Aberdeen and were meeting friends for dinner later that evening. We had a quick shop in Union Square then a glass of fizz at a bar sitting outside in the sun. Our Thai dinner was so good too.

Saturday we planned to climb Bennachie but were worried about the heat, especially with the dog. Should we try to go up or just walk around the bottom? In the end we couldn't get to the car park as the road was completely closed by police due to an accident. We drove round to the back of Bennachie carpark instead and managed about 40 minutes up (see photo) (it takes about 4 hours to get to the top and back from there and we didn't have that long). It was 25° sunny and we just melted. After doing some messages in Inverurie we headed to Thainstone House Hotel where we were booked for the night. We checked in to a small but very nice room. I took Bella outside for a wee. As she was sniffing about the ground she started digging and pulled up something. I thought it was a twig but as I got it out of her mouth I realised it was so not a stick! Eugh, not sure what it was. Later the three of us sat in the grounds having a drink in the afternoon sunshine. Suddenly Bella ran off, heading to the bit of garden she had dug up earlier. Mark went after her! He put a photo on our family what's app showing that Bella had dug up about 5 sausages! How very weird we thought. Ellie then messages to say it's an old wives tale that if a bride buries a sausage the night before her wedding the weather will be glorious the next day. Mark and I were like, what?? Never ever had we heard that before! But sure enough, a wee Google search confirmed that this was true - 'though it is not backed by science', you don't say! Mark went to the bar for more drinks and the bar man told him about a bride burying sausages, a ritual he had never heard of either. Bella determined to eat these sausages went back to see if she could find more! This time Mark found a parcel label which had a message written on it "Please use this to dig a hole and bury your sausage to bring good weather tomorrow". We think the bride must have supplied tools and sausages to get guests to do this crazy thing! The following day, a friend posted photos of her daughter's wedding. So I asked, tongue in cheek, if she'd buried sausages (thinking she'd say, you what?) and she said that yes she had. So we went from never, ever hearing such a thing to having it confirmed 3 times! Bizarre!!

On Sunday, driving home we stopped at Barra berries and had an enormous ice cream and I bought fresh strawberries to have at home. What a difference a bit of sunshine makes. Though it's been so hot, even up north and sleeping has been difficult. For the few days a year (and not even every year) that it's proper hot, air conditioning seems a little extravagant lol.

Anyway, sausages aside, we had such a lovely weekend. And this weekend we've come down to Newcastle for some July sunshine in Geordie land. Forecast is rubbish for today and the weekend though. I think Scotland will have it better! Typical. 

I love it when my dog sighs - what ails you, my unemployed free-loader?

Wild flowers

 

I've been trying to grow wild flowers in the corner of my garden for 3 years. This spring I did a proper job, digging up all the grass down to the soil. Spreading the seeds and watering. It worked! Finally. And it's lovely. Thank you to Isaac who helped with the digging.

Now I'm going to be controversial. I try to avoid subjects that might ruffle feathers on my blog, I want to be open and honest but I certainly don't want to offend anyone. (Though occasionally I swear which I know offends, certainly some). Not sure why these thoughts came to me but I feel I can share because my lovely husband is one of the, potential, bad guys (tongue in cheek). It is my observation that folks that are naturally slim, who have never had to diet in their lives, struggle to understand the path that obese people walk. It's understandable, they eat what they want with no regard to losing weight and to them it is easy. They think that fat people eat too much, of the wrong things, and do not exercise enough. I'm not saying obese people eat healthily and run miles! But skinnies don't understand the why. Why do obese people hate their fatness and tuck into burger and chip? Why don't they go to exercise classes but sit on the sofa eating chocolate? I'm trying to be democratic. If you're a skinny and feel that I'm wrong, and you totally understand the battle of the fat person please let me know. I shall share it next week. I don't want to be narrow minded but hey, I make no apologies for my views, it is borne from experience. And I'm in no way trying to insult or anger anyone, but I see it as I see it. I'm happy to be proved wrong. 

In my endeavours to grow out my dyed hair I've been thinking of getting it cut, to speed up the process. I also have new growth which I could cut up to, to have it all one length. Part of me feels sick at cutting my long hair, and part of me feels this is a sensible move. Two birds, one stone. And make no bones about it, I will grow it the second it is cut. I've warned my hairdresser as she will struggle to cut it all off. I am going to be honest with you now, the only reason I can even remotely contemplate this is because I feel so different since losing weight. When I was fat I felt my flowing, long hair was the only thing I had! Literally. I liked getting compliments about my hair, people really liked it. But now I am slimmer I no longer feel that my hair defines me. I just a normal girl and I don't need to hide behind the mop on top of my head. 

Amazon Prime week started. We needed a new electric toothbrush so I went on to look. I spent over £100 and I never even saw the toothbrushes - all booze! Plus a big, huge, bag of peanut M&Ms. I'm a chocolate lush lol.

I have a busy weekend planned which I will update you with next week. Have fun everyone.

This is me and Mark lol -

Marriage is when you know your wife adores you but also finds you the single most annoying person on the planet all within the same minute. 

Harriett

 

I've bought a new (used) car. This lovely black Mini. I pick her up tomorrow morning and I'm very excited. I'm naming her after the sales person who sold her to me. Whilst doing all the paperwork I told her about that time I started to put my shopping in the wrong car in ASDA's carpark. She told me she'd once done the same, except she went another step and actually got into the car. Where she found a young girl sitting in the passenger seat! They both got a fright but she reckons the child was thinking she was being kidnapped, poor thing. Anyway I think Harriett beat me on that one! 

I am believing that my daft dog is a secret genius. The voice speaking buttons that I was given are starting to work. She has, drum roll, started to hit the 'wee wee' one when she needs to go outside to pee. How amazing is that? I mean, sometimes she presses it just to get attention but I honestly think the thought process is kicking in. It's fab. And... After teaching her to close the back door (she taught herself to open it) for the last few months, when we hear her clattering back into the house, if we're quick enough to shout 'Close the door!' she will! Without someone having to 'supervise' the event. Thus, negating the need to get up off the sofa! Whoop. She does still expect a treat for this trick though.

I hopped on the scales this morning, which I do regularly, just to ensure I'm not putting weight on and I hit my lowest weight yet of 10st 5lbs which was nice. I also measured my fat percentage. I'm now at 35%, which, for a lady of my age, is in the normal range! How exciting is that? It sounds a lot, and it is at the higher end of normal but normal it is. I used to be way up in the 50%s, so this is a lot better. I'm celebrating these successes.

My grey hair is coming along nicely. Luckily, the roots don't stand out massively against the dyed hair. I was planning on having some highlights to blend it all together until I decided that I would then have to start growing out the highlights after goodness knows how long of growth. So, I'm just knuckling in and letting it grow out with no help, except maybe a short cut when it gets to that point. You see when I was over weight I thought my flowing locks was all I had. I'd often get a compliment about my hair. But now I don't feel that way so much. I love my hair still, but I now love myself just a bit too.

Next week I shall be watching Wimbledon even though I missed most of this weeks matches. It was also my intention to do more yoga this week, after having such a brilliant time in Wellness Week at work, but I've not done any! I hope you all have a great 7 days, no matter how much or how little you have planned. Even if you don't do yoga just try to move your body a little more. I shall be moving my body a little more by going to the wine bottle more often! Enjoy and see you later.

When you are dead you do not know you are dead, it's just painful and difficult for others. The same applies when you are stupid!