Domestic Goddess - almost!

Again a busy few days...

Monday: Yoga. Hooray!!! I'm almost there with Crow! I can't do it for very long but I'm getting better... My wrists knew about it on Tuesday am though!

Tuesday:

Inspired by BodyRock tv and lovely Zuzana and Freddie. Today I tried the burpees and the bridge then back to some hula hooping - such fun and I can actually do it so I feel like I've achieved.

A lovely exhilarating walk along the coast. I didn't get quite as far as I planned due to a storm that came from nowhere. I worked those muscles walking across the sand though. It might sound a little corny but I think I will always remember that walk - it will go in the same memory basket as seeing the seals up close and crossing the causeway to Holy Island for the first time. As the rain pelted, shafts of light shone through the clouds on the ships at see - priceless. 

Wednesday: Time for trampolining. I wasn't as carefree this week. I got a little carried away with hula hooping and actually have some nasty bruises on my hip bones :o( Still I had an amazing time and it made me whoop like a child. I try very hard not to, as the instructor takes it very SERIOUSLY!

Then I decided to cool off at the gym with a few lengths and a jacuzzi. I also did 30 lengths walking as apparently this helps build the muscles you use for running and helps balance you. Well I'll give it ago.  However, I'm not that encouraged - I've noticed that the others doing this are considerably older, larger and rather infirm. Maybe it's not the best thing for me?

Job 2:
Super market sweep. I know I'm going to be busy the next few days so I decided to do the food shop now, while buoyed up on exercise. I got loads of vegetables- the fruit wasn't up to much. Mostly marked down as it's going too soft or so hard you could use it as a bullet. That can be a job for another day.

I also had a mad craving for chicken nuggets. I'm not sure why. My mother NEVER gave these to me as a child. 'Chicken don't have nuggets...' But I had this strange craving. I never usually go down that aisle even. But they looked so good. But then I hear my mother's voice... I imagine the meat factories... I decide it will have to be vegetarian soya/wheat protein nuggets. I also know that if I had bought chicken nuggets I wouldn't have actually enjoyed them...

And so I arrive home and cook my golden nuggets and they were lush! Then set to work to prepare some healthy ready meals so that I don't get an attack of the munchies and fall from grace.

I feel my cookery session this afternoon was a work out in itself. It was unbearably hot in out kitchen even with the fan on.

With my quorn mince I have made...

2 x shepherd's pie for the freezer

1 x bolognaise with peas and new pots (meant for tonight but there's enough for a freezer portion too)

1 x potato bake. I peel and slice the potato and line the pot and layer with loads of onions, peppers, tomatoes and make a white sauce. In my version I use corn flour mixed with water, whisk over the heat and add grated nutmeg and parsley. I think it is healthier this way and less fatty.

I intend to pad out the above with lots of green veg and sweetcorn- my fav. And have some grilled fish in between what now looks like a lot of stodge!

I have made a large batch of vegetable and lentil soup for lunches.

I have cut 3 pineapples and put them into portions for the freezer. Pineapples are usually expensive here. But I got 3 medium one for 49p today!!! Madness.

To quench my sweet tooth I made Nigella's pistachio fudge. Got to say it looks lovely but is very very sickly. One piece goes a long way.

This lot should keep us going for a while so I'm hoping minimal trips to the supermarket over the next 10 days ish. Will shop locally for milk and veg. Supermarkets make me feel a bit sick after a few minutes. There is just something a bit morally icky seeing all these people with 3 for 2 offers of crisps and chips and pop and other 'delights' I just find it overwhelming to have 40 packets of crisps in a trolley? I wonder if anyone else finds these places overwhelming. I think I was better at food decision making when I lived by myself. Somehow the business of choosing what others eat and spending other's money makes it all the more serious. Then I get unfocused by all my label reading and the music and special announcements and discounts... Well Beau always thinks I've done a good job so the only pressure is from myself.

I was feeling absolutely exhausted and miserable as my back is rather painful from a bad front drop on the trampoline. Then I logged on... I have a comment!! And such a lovely, helpful one. Thank you Hiro Pro! You have been very encouraging, especially your tricks for motivation. I am going to take regular photos, but I'm not brave enough to put them on my blog yet. I think you are right about success feeding motivation - this worked for me when studying. I'm trying to make myself think positively about my achievements and focus on what I have rather than what I haven't done. And to record it on my blog to pressure me into doing something towards my goal on the days I feel like slobbing.



 Anyway, my book club book is calling me -  The Guardian Angel's Journal.

Thank you, good wishes.


Over and out.

Nuptial Nightmares!!

OK, so a busy weekend.

Sunday

Job 1: Conquering the kitchen. Lamb tagine - conquered. Deliciously tender slow cooked lamb. A bit sweet though, not sure I'd do it again.

Job 2: Fitness

4 mile walk in the sun with Beau - perfect!


Sunday finished with a nice glass of Chardonnay and left over olives while watching Sex and the City. Having never jumped on the bandwagon and only having caught a few disjointed episodes, I haven't come to love the girls in the same way my peers. Not being a girly girl I found it hard to watch yet strangely hypnotic - as if it is a window to another reality. I wonder if this reality exists somewhere. Do women like this really exist? I compare my aspirations and friendships and count my blessings. Hypnotic, but not enough to keep me awake. I decide to watch the rest in the morning and turn in. I leave Carrie jilted at the altar. Having watched an episode of Don't Tell the Bride earlier in the evening, it doesn't make for happy sleeping.

This brings me through to Monday morning. I wake with a start. In my nightmare I'm getting married the next day and we have no cake - Grandma is suggesting biscuits instead. We have no bridesmaid's dresses. I want to cancel, postpone. It was never meant to be like this. How did I get to be so disorganised. Slowly as Beau kisses me good morning, I realise with relief I'm NOT getting married in the morning. I can breath again. Glad not to be starring in Don't Tell the Bride, I ponder on weddings and marriage. I don't need a wedding to have a marriage. The luxury of it is making me feel a bit sick. Do I deserve it? I'm filled with guilt. I am shocked at how excited I've become about The Wedding. Is this bad? Have I, like Carrie lost sight of what it means? Why else would I be having nightmares about cakes and dresses - this is not what it's about. Two coffee later, I resolve - my dress is not a  bespoke one-off, not a meringue , I will NOT be wearing a bird on my head and I've just about still got as firm a grip as I ever had on life. I still listen to Cameron talk about Gaddafi's. The depressing news about the economic downturn. How badly off we all are. Given all this, I think it is time we made out own happiness and find it in all the small and large things that make up life.

I am not going to feel guilty ( I know I still will a bit) in an uncertain world I want to be married and I want to share it with my loved ones. It is everyday expereinces mixed with occassions such as this that make happy memories that can be treasure and fed upon in less happy, more difficult times. For this reason and all the joy it will bring, surely it can't be wrong. Surely it is only dangerous if it boils over and takes on a persona of its own? I have not lost sight of what it means. I guess I'm very lucky that my Beau is even more keen on sharing our wedding with others. The traditions are as important to him, maybe more so, as they are for me. They say it's the Bride's day. Well I'm going to make sure it is OUR day.


Well, even in the end Carrie got her happy ending- or did she - I'm sure, even with all her shoes, I wouldn't want her ending.I watched the rest of the film this morning, which squeezed out any time for a run. Course of action: Walk after lunch and yoga this evening. Surfing tomorrow has been cancelled so time for something more strenuous then!

Over and out...

Derby day doldrums!

Job 1: 2.33 miles 27 minutes. Not much better...

Job 2: Interest in Beau's hobby - the town football derby. Mission accomplished. Not to be repeated. Foul language (not from Beau) absolutely disgusting eating manners- ripping the chicken off the bone with their (few and yellow) teeth and licking their sticky fingers. YUK!! (Also not from Beau - bless him - he didn't think it was hygenic- right there at least one reason to marry him!!!)

Moroccan Fish & Chips

Job1: With sore joints curtailing my exercise regime, I've taken a short walk and go the rest of my workout through the much needed housework. Waging war on grime and heavy shopping bags I'm sure must count for something.

Job 2 on the Journey from Miss to Mrs: Increased competence in the kitchen. We seem to eat the same few dishes on a rotation - time for more adventure and variety. With Jamie Oliver's help I've made Moroccan Fish & Chips. Job done. One dish under my belt!

Over and out...

This time next year we'll be millionaires or married!

So another day down... Many steps to go...

Not very productive start to the day. I nursed myself through the first few hours of the day with ibuprofen, milky coffee and a scone (perhaps not the best food choice - although it was homemade with dates and walnuts, so not all bad!) My toils from yesterday have caught up with me. My joints are so stiff, I feel like I'm moving in treacle. After a rerun of Only Fools and Horses, an episode of my beloved Cold Feet all washed down with a gallon of milky coffee, I'm feeling human enough to feel guilty that I'm still in bed. Embarrassed that my curtains are still shut and the workmen outside on the scaffolding will know I'm a lazy cow. They don't know I'm a teacher on a well deserved holiday and that actually I work very hard - they sneer like I'm a lady that lunches and lollops around doing not a lot. Inverted snobs. I bet myself that they probably lie in on their holidays, but somewhere hot, abroad, probably boozy and smoke filled in a jungle of bikini clad beauties. I won't pass them any tea out the window today.

I do a few Sun Salutations to loosen up and it works a treat. God bless yoga! Then I decide to brave it through the hallway, past the inverted snobs. So I'm ready, MP3 player, Gymboss and door keys. I have hit upon the idea of safety pinning them to myself to I can run hands free. I walk the first 5 mins at a pace to warm up. Then I've set the Gymboss to laps of 1 minute running, 2 minutes resting. Yes I heard it too- sounds rubbish. But sadly for me, it's still a challenge and I can't even run for a minute on the sand once I've reached the beach. Still I'm determined to improve.

I did 2.77 miles in 32 minutes - something to beat next time.

Job 2: Improve nutrition.
Increase intake of oily fish.
Achieved this with a very tasty grilled sardine sandwich.
Verdict: The house stinks, even out to the hallway - like a mini Craster!



Jobs for tomorrow:

Another jog/walk if joints allow.
The Food Shop!!! An exciting adventure - it's like travelling abroad up and down the aisle. I think maybe I fancy bit more of India and Greece this week. Also an opportunity to make more healthy choices and increase good nutrient intake. One step closer to glowing skin and inner chic!

Over and out.

367 days to go!

So here I am with 367 days to go... (because it's a leap year)

Job One: Establish goals, then the mini steps to confidence and inner chic!

Body Beautiful...

There is no escaping from the message - loudly screaming from every bridal magazine, newspaper article and bridemaid's lips: I am expected to be the best I have ever been on my big day. The pressure to be perfect is immense. Well, nodody's perfect, so I'm not buying into that one. But I guess I don't want to be looking at my (very expensive) wedding photos with the sinking feeling that I missed my chance to be the best I could be. 'C - Could have done better.' I don't want to be stick thin, dangerously obsessed about calorie consumption or always at the gym, or even look like I've tried that hard. I do however want more than a C when I look at the (expensive) wedding pictures.

So I'm armed (and have been for a while) with my subscriptions to my fitness mag (for drip feeds of inspiration and new ideas) my gym to slog it out in, piles of recipe books with new innovative, low fat, low gi food for life... All in a bid to become a shining paragon of health and beauty. I've aspired to a svelte, curved, glowing specimen since being an awkward, overgrown gangly teen.  So I have my weapons, the freedom of the summer holidays to entrench my regimens. Now is my chance.


So with an aim to having as much fun as possible, I signed up for trampolining this morning. What a laugh. I absolutely LOVED it! I was a little suprised to be the only able bodied participant in the local authority run session. I am assured it is open to all adults in the community, so on I bounce. I certainly feel the cardio building up. I got very hot, engaged my core and bounced myself silly. Honestly, I couldn't keep the childish squeals and whoops inside. To my suprise, I was actually quite good - and not just by comparison. This is a bit of a turn up for me, as I'm naturally not a very sporty person. I love the concept, the team spirit, but I falter at the competitive streak - maybe I'd get one if I was good enough for it to be played upon. I'm seen as a bookish sort by friends and family. This may well change! My core muscles obviously aren't as bad as I thought as I managed to stay near the red cross in the middle. I did star jumps, tucks, 180 degree twists, bouncing from standing, to my bottom and back to standing and then another twist.

One hour later, I'm back in the car, hot and sticky but full of bounce and energy. Already I feel empowered: I can jump higher, turn neater. One day down and a good few steps closer to Womenhood - bring on tomorrow!

The Final Countdown

So exactly one year and one day to go until my wedding day!! (Waves of extreme emotions - intense excitement mixed with anxiety.) 

As a small child I never dreamed of the big white dresses, tossing the bouquet or cutting the perfectly frosted cake. I did however picture myself married. The pictures in my mind always slightly blurred and out of focus, but featured me happy and relaxed, full of grace, poise and confidence. The me in the pictures was a woman in control, a woman who went places and did exciting things, a woman who accomplished, even conquered. Most importantly the woman in the picture was a grown up, knew her mind and knew her heart, where to go and how to get there.

When I look in the mirror, I see the blurred, out of focus woman. I am very thankful that she's happy and knows her heart. But that's about it. There are still many things left to achieve on my six year old self's checklist. This one year and one day is my final countdown to becoming a grown up - surely by my Wedding day  I will feel grown up? I will surely then possess at least some grace and poise?

This is my plight in the one year and one day remaining, to propel myself to womanhood proper. This is my finishing school. My chance to become the woman that doesn't ring round to ask my own opinion, to become the owner of a chic wardrobe (or at least ensembles that don't cause me to cringe at an unexpected doorbell.) This is the year that I will reach my health and fitness goals, expand my knowledge of world affairs, hone my small talk skills and become a fully participating adult.



Freshly inspired by the lovely Julie Powell/ Amy Adams of Julie and Julia. I am hopeful that I too can use a blog to focus my energies and achieve my goals.


Here goes!