Easter

 

 

 

           

Rowley seems none the worse for his incident on the field, in fact, if anything, he’s been slightly better behaved when other dogs have been near him when out walking.

Catherine, Flo & Isabella came for dinner on Easter Sunday but Isabella wasn’t very well, she appears to have a cold. I think this is the cold Mike started last week and then passed on to me.

I’ve had to sleep in the guest bedroom for over a week now, as Mike has had one of those coughs. I think they call it an irritating cough. In fact I’m sure it must be because it’s irritating the hell out of me!! How can anyone be so LOUD? I’ve missed all the important bits from the news, weather forecasts, who did the murder, punch line to jokes. The list is endless. He doesn’t even have to be in the same room to do this. His cough is so huge I think the neighbours are planning to get an ASBO slapped on him. It is about the equivalent to Concorde going through the Sound Barrier! I’ll give him another couple of days and then he is going to the doctor’s.

Today, Easter Monday, we went to my sister’s in Shifnal, Shropshire. She put on a lovely spread and a good time was had by all. Her partner’s daughter put on an Easter Egg hunt for Isabella, which she loved.

After she'd collected them all, without anyone saying a word to her, she started sharing them out with everyone there.

Then Isabella entertained us with songs like Dingle Dangle Scarecrow and some rabbit song I’d not heard before. I wish I had thought earlier about videoing her.

 

I’ve been practising for the Race for Life and met up with two friends on Sunday, they will be doing the Race with me. We walked round Sandwell Valley, the venue for the Race and visited the farm. My camera was at home, so there are no shots but I will have to go again and take some, it’s an amazing place. I’ll save the details for another time.

My potatoes have been chitting nicely in the dining room, I’m just waiting for some warmer weatherto go and get them planted at the allotment.

This is such a dull entry and that’s how I’m feeling right now, DULL. I’m lacking in energy, my ‘get up and go’ has got up and gone. There needs to be some BIG changes in mylife. I just hope I can find the strength to make them.

Wot? No Photos?

I am so angry!!!

I just took Rowley for a walk on the playing field which is just off our road. We go there first thing in the morning, at about 6.30 and sometimes we see other dogs and Rowley barks at them, he’s nervous of them but does seem as if he might be aggressive if he got to them. So, I don’t let him off the lead and he was getting better about being near them. Unfortunately not all other dog owners are so responsible.

I thought I’d take him this afternoon, as I had been out shopping for a few hours.

There were some dogs running loose on the field but they were busy playing ‘Fetch’ and didn’t come near us. Then this woman came on the field with two dogs off the lead. One, a black Labrador came right over to us. That was too much for Rowley, who started barking and got very upset and slipped his Halti. I managed to clip the lead onto his collar but couldn’t get the Halti back on , as I really needed an extra hand to do that. The dog had returned to his owner but then came back over again . Now I didn’t have control of Rowley’s head and he has barking aggressively but I still had him by my side. This dog then started attacking Rowley. I called to the woman to call off her dog and she just looked at me as if I WAS SIMPLE!!! Excuse me, dogs fighting is a good idea is it? She came nearer and her dog returned to her. She shouted that they’re better let off the lead.

WTF!!! I replied that as we had only had him a few weeks it wasn’t a good idea and she laughed at me. Which she did again when I said I had to go as Rowley was bleeding.

There was blood dripping from his face onto his paws.

Upset and anger were waging a fierce battle inside me and I’m not sure which got the upper hand.

When I got home I cleaned Rowley up and was relieved to find no obvious wounds. The stream of blood was coming from just inside his nostril and it seems he had a puncture wound . After I’d finished cleaning him up, there was no sign of any more blood. Hopefully he won’t need any further attention.

I told Catherine about it on the phone and she was incensed and plans to wait in the field until we find the woman. She is then going to give her a good slapping but that will be after I’ve kicked her effing teeth down her throat!

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See that? It’s a line. I’ve drawn it under the episode. I hope nothing like that ever happens again.

*****

It was time to give myself a huge mental kick up the backside, I needed it.

I find I do less and less, whatever I do do is an effort, not only physically but also mentally. I was starting to feel as if my brain was shutting down. My weight was escalating and had reached equal to the highest it has ever been. Worst of all, I was really starting to object to this fat, middle aged woman who keeps following me around. I’ve see her in shop windows and she always seemed to be wearing the same clothes as me.

It’s funny but my bedroom mirror shows me the woman I want to be, is that because we stop really looking at ourselves and when there is nobody there to compare yourself with, things don‘t look too bad. Yet out in the streets, you see yourself alongside others and just lately the comparisons have not been at all favourable.

So, over the last couple of weeks I started to take action.

I’ve joined Slimming World, went for my first weigh-in on Tuesday (normally Wednesdays) I’d lost three pounds in 6 days. Not wonderful but a step in the right direction. I’ve decided, I want to see myself as one of the success stories in the Slimming World magazine.

I’ve also entered The Race For Life. I am doing this with some new friends and my sister and niece. It will be on June 8th at Sandwell Valley Park, West Bromwich. I’m not sure I will run it my be more of a fast walk but I will be looking to do the 5KM in as fast a time as I can possibly manage. Here is a link to my page.

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/BlackCountryLulu

If anyone would like to sponsor me, no matter how small the amount, then please do. I’ve lost much loved friends and family to Cancer and I am also very grateful that the lives of equally loved friends and family, thanks to research, have been spared from this awful disease.

*****

There were some funny things that I had intended to write about in this entry but I’m not feeling very funny right now after the dog incident, so I’ll save them for another time.

Have a Happy Easter and I hope the sun shines for you.

Can't do an entry with no photos at all. I've been looking through some old albums and here is one from 1991, when I was 38 and  living in Dinas Powys. Although I didn't know it then, it was one of the happiest times of my life. If you wonder what I was doing, I was barbequeing and that was a sausage on my fork.

 

 

 

                      !

 

 

 

 

Worcester Wafflings.

Mothering Sunday has been and gone and now the weekend is here again. Time seems to be forever accelerating .

On Sunday I was taken out for Brunch at The Glasshouse in Worcester, by Catherine . It wasn’t the original plan but Isabella was sick, so just the two of us went. Mike was working, as he always does on a Sunday.

As it was a special day, all Mothers were given a complimentary glass of Buck’s Fizz, made with freshly squeezed orange juice. We could have as much coffee as we wanted and I chose Eggs Benedict, with Parma Ham. Catherine had the smoked salmon version. It was really lovely, as was the basket of toast and butter that went with it. It was so nice for us to be able to sit and chat and relax for an hour without having to keep getting up to deal with Isabella. Lovely as she is, she isn’t a restful child!

I had a card from Simon, very simple, which just said, To the best Mum in the World. I know he wouldn’t have sent it if he didn’t mean it, so that meant a lot to me.

In the afternoon I went over to see Mum. She was on her own as Wilf had gone to see his grandaughter play football. So Mum and I had couple of hours chatting on our own, which again made a pleasant change.

*****

 

Sue and I have been digging a bit more of the allotment and now have an area large enough to plant our potatoes in.

 

 

We are growing two types, Kestrel, a purple and white skinned variety, which is good for every culinary purpose and Catalona, which is a waxy, salad, or new potato. The potatoes are ‘Chitting’ nicely and should be ready to plant next week.

*****

I was having a rummage in some folders in my office and came across the one photo in mylife of me thatI’m probably fairly happy to show. I just don’t seem to take a decent photo, ever!! It's a real blast from the past. 80's retro fashion, although thank god I never really went with the 'Big Hair' of that era. Although there was one disasterous perm. I may dig that out for my next entry.

 

 

This was taken in Pembrokeshire, South Wales, in May of 1985 or 6. We were walking along a lane in Lawrenny and there were carpets of bluebells and other flowers that were just begging to be photographed. I loved that pink flying suit. I ordered it from a catalogue . I think it cost about £32 and I wore it until it fell off me.

Seeing the photo made me think seriously about my weight, so Sue and I plan to join Slimming World next week. I want to be Slimmer of the Year. Watch this space!!!!

*****

It’s all comings and goings this weekend. Thomas, who was Flo’s Best Man at their wedding is arriving from Germany this afternoon. I have Isabella here tonight, so that they can go into town for the evening. And Simon and Tori are off to Brussels for the weekend on the Eurostar. I had text earlier saying they were on the way and drinking free champagne. Hope they think to bring some chocolate back with them.

*****

Rowley seems to have taken over the furniture in this house, he certainly knows how to act deaf but he’s a lovely boy and as the sofa’s are getting old now, I find it hard to move him when he looks so comfortable.

 

 

 

*****

I’ve been enjoying lots of naughty food this week, knowing that next week a lot of it will be

‘off limits’.

This was a curry I was making and the colours just looked lovely whenI added the coconut milk. I had to take a picture.

 

 

*****

Tomorrow, Catherine and I are taking Isabella into town, to have her photographed for the local newspaper's Baby of the Year competition. We know she should win but then, of course, we are biased!

 

Have a good weekend and Gaz! Only just over two weeks to the wedding!!!!! Can't wait for some photos. Here's a link to his wedding shower Blog.

http://journals.aol.com/tenyearnap/orgazmic-bliss-a-wedding-shower-/