My 5th Park Run

Wouldn't you know it! Today I could have overtaken people but I'd volunteered to be tail runner so I wasn't allowed to.  It rained today, and I discovered the best way to keep the rain off my glasses was not to wear them. Fortunately I can still see where I am going.
I bought myself a proper knee support so wore that for the first time and it certainly helped although I only jogged a tiny bit as the people just in front were only walking. My time won't be a PB but that's OK and I shall make a big effort next week. I also got myself a lovely bright mauve Regatta lightweight breathable waterproof jacket half price on eBay but only put it on at the end when it really started to chuck it down.
In other news, I can now just ( and I do mean j.....ust) get into my tweed skirts. I think I should have measured in between the waist and hip measurements to see how my middle age spread was diminishing, although it doesn't look any smaller!
I did go for a brisk walk/bit of a jog yesterday as I had letters to post and I got to the post box and back in 15 minutes. It is almost a mile so that wasn't too bad and it was the fastest I have ever done it so a bit of jogging does improve my time.
I am resolved to go out for at least one other walk every week, plus I walk to the Heath for Bible study on a Monday and play badminton on a Thursday so feeling quite good about it all and determined to improve.

Second report

A summary of the past fortnight. I got a quarter of a pound under 11st one day but have settled back a tad higher. Waist and bust haven't changed any more but I realise I was measuring the wrong bits because I am now wearing some trousers that are a size smaller than usual.  I bought some very nice cords in a sale and bought two sizes in the hope I would be able to get into the smaller ones in time, but I would need braces on the larger ones now and I really don't have the figure for that!
I did last weeks Parkrun in 56'31" and jogged a bit and I am looking forward to getting the time down a bit more tomorrow. I might even run a bit!
But I have fallen off the wagon when it comes to food and drink.  We had guests to lunch yesterday and it would have been rude not to eat my own cooking with relish. Then I went out to see The National Theatre production of The Threepenny Opera, live broadcast at the local theatre and was so hyped up when I got home I just had to have a little supper. And a little wine.
And I have just come back from pushing the old man along the front at Felixstowe so I am eating a Bakewell Tart with my cup of tea.
I will start being good again tomorrow.

First report

As some of you know, I have been quite poorly this week so exercise has been pretty much zero and a certain amount of comfort eating has taken place. Well, they do say feed a cold, although I had a fever as well so that may just have been self indulgence on my part.
However, in spite of that I have good news. Since I started I have lost 3 lbs, an inch off the bust and half an inch off the waist.  So, I am encouraged to make the effort as soon as I feel able.
P.S. Hubby has caught the cold now

The best laid plans....

I have been thwarted!  Just as I was really getting into the zone I have been struck down with the cold from hell. I have had one of those sore throats that hurt even just breathing, sneezing, coughing that really REALLY hurts and a temperature of over 100F in the evenings.  So I have been looking after myself with ice cream and cake and lying in bed. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

My first Parkrun

I don't know why, but I find it much more satisfying to write all my stuff in a note book than to keep it in an app. I came to the conclusion that part of the problem with the bracelet was that it was not tight enough because of my small wrists and this morning I asked the seller if I could send it back for a refund. They made a couple of suggestions but said if I really didn't want it then yes I could. So I am.
I found my pedometer. I bought it at Sutton Hoo some time ago and had forgotten about it. I find that it not only records steps but gives an estimate of distance, for which a stride length has been set, calories burnt, and tells the time. I suspect that being on my waist band over my hip means that it gives a more accurate reading.
So, I did Parkrun this morning. I was spectacularly last, except for the official tail ender who is there to make sure every one is OK and I'm sure I was slowing her down, plus of course, all the marshals had to wait until she passed by. Oh, as she was 6 months pregnant too.  I was just over an hour, but then 5k is just over 3 miles so I wasn't too disappointed. Everyone was very encouraging and I actually jogged the last 100 metres. I was pleased that I kept going at a steady pace the whole time and wasn't slowing down by the end.
My target is 40 minutes but that's going to be well into the future I suspect.
When I got home, after a quick visit to the auction viewing and getting some shopping, I took my shoes off and discovered I had a rather large blood blister under my big toe. I hadn't felt it before. I think it may have been something to do with the sock seam. The shoes themselves were very comfortable.
I have to admit that I didn't do much else after lunch and I am treating myself to a bottle of cider this evening.

Trial run

Test "run" carried out on shoes and tracker this morning. The shoes are very comfortable, hurrah! I forgot to look at what the tracker had registered before I went out so at first I thought the miles were astonishingly accurate as when I got home it said 1.3 miles and that was what my footpath app made it as well. But I am pretty sure that there were about 400 on it before I went out. It hasn't got a facility to enter stride length. Not that it would help much because after striding out for a while my steps got a lot shorter.
I felt hungry when I got back so I had a glass of water, but I would have done that anyway.
The tracker said I went to sleep at 22.50 last night. It was wrong as I know I was still awake at 23.15. But it will be interesting to see how the deep/light sleep ratio changes.
It won't let me tell it what day my week starts, so I will be going from Sunday to Saturday for the stats.
I also remembered that I have one of those things that are meant to measure body fat. Like the bracelet, I don't think it is all that accurate but it doesn't really matter, so long as the figure starts going down.
It isn't feasible to accurately count my calories every day so I will do that on the days it is and just be sensible on other days. The bracelet only counts calories burnt during steps so I can add my resting calorie burn which is estimated at 1400.
The psychological aspect of counting etc has a benefit in itself.
If you have been thanks for listening xx

Getting fit?

For those of you that have the time, and for me to remind myself, I thought I might resurrect the blog and witter on about my challenge to myself to lose weight inches and gain fitness.  There are some people who are not friends on Facebook who may read this so sorry to those for whom this is a bit of a repeat
Today I bought a serious pair of trainers, not easy when you have feet like mine! I need depth as well as width due to a big bunion that belies above as well as to the side. I did find some but on this occasion would have chosen other than pink if I had had the choice.  I doubt I will be running but I do like to walk purposefully and so I have registered for Parkrun in Kesgrave so I can compete against myself. First target is to do 5k under 40 minutes
I might start doing 5:2 eating again but at first I will make sure all three meals happen inside 12 hours. I am just reducing my portion sizes and will gradually start sorting out my calorie counting. For example, only one handful of cereal instead of two, four prunes instead of six, not drowning it in soya milk. Only one roll or two slices of bread instead or 2/4 at lunchtime and less filling except for salad stuff which I will increase. If I have fruit juice, have it half and half with water. No eating between meals but drinking more water.  Depending on the weather, walking to the top of the road and back, or the Heath, which is a mile or so, every day. Or doing half an hour dancing on the Wii.
Weekly badminton starts again next week.
Most of you know that I have fibromyalgia and care for my wheelchair bound husband so I abandoned the idea of getting a bike as I haven't ridden one for nearly 50 years and I am worried about falling off and putting myself out of commission.
I have ordered one of those fitness bracelet things, about a quarter of the price of a Fitbit but it looks like it will do what I want.
The bad news is that I am starting in earnest tomorrow but have a lunch date.

Another lunch, and the day itself

I have been having so much fun I forgot to post about my lunch a couple of weeks ago at a Turkish restaurant with my friend Lynne over at Greedy Piglet .  It is in a rather odd place, on the A12 dual carriageway at Capel St Mary which is about 5 minutes the other side of Ipswich.  It is in the building next to a petrol station and used to be a Little Chef, or some such.  Anyway, you would never know it.

Lynne and I have met a few times and talk on Twitter and Facebook but this was the first opportunity we have had to talk one to one for any length of time, which was grand. We both started with squid rings in batter and then had sort of flat bread type things, the names of which I have forgotten

I am so keen to get on with eating I keep forgetting to do the photo before I start!  After Lynne went home I went to the Capel Garden Centre which just happens to have a craft shop in it.  Yes I did.

So, onto the big day itself.  I cooked breakfast, scrambled eggs, bacon, mushroom and hash browns. Then later I went to have coffee with my cousin Tessa and her husband. They recently moved close by.  Then I went and had a wander round the shops in Woodbridge. Then I went home and got lunch - in my case, the rest of my breakfast, toast and marmalade..  I had a bit of a snooze in the afternoon and then, early evening me and him went to Black Tiles for a meal.  I had pear, walnut and stilton salad and he had spaghetti neopolitana (I think) which was a rich spaghetti with two red mullet fillets on top.  For pud I had chocolate truffle cake with orange sorbet and he had rhubarb and apple crumble.

We left the restaurant at about 7.15 and, by arrangement I texted our dear friends Heather and John and they hot footed it round to our house for coffee. and I am now the proud, very proud, owner of this

Heather took up quilting only a few years ago and I have seen quilts she has made for other people but she has been so busy of late that I was extra delighted to receive it.  Only problem is, it looks lovely on the settee (and I have already fallen asleep under it once,) but I need to change the cushion covers. so last night I spent too much time and maybe a little too much money, on fabric to patchwork some to match. Like I needed a new hobby to fill up my copious free time.

Birthday Holiday #1

A couple of weeks ago I found myself in the unusual situation of having almost nothing that "had" to be done.  So I decided to make good use of it and pretended I was on holiday.  This involved not watching what I ate and drank TOO closely and getting together with friends and generally trying not to fret about the things that I decided didn't have to be done.

On the Saturday I cut my hair, I took about three inches off and was pleased with the result, and then in the evening I dyed it sort of dark reddy pink.  I went to see my mum as usual. I also "went" to the opera.  BBC4 showed a film of the production of Peter Grimes that Aldeburgh music did on the beach last year so I settled down and watched it properly and it was fabulous.

On Monday it was a bank holiday so I went to a car boot sale early looking for books and DVDs that might keep my other half entertained.  I failed, but it was a nice day so I had an hour in the early sunshine. I'm sure I did something in the afternoon but I cant remember what it was for the moment! 

On Tuesday I went to Darsham Nurseries with two friends for lunch which was very good indeed.  I had rabbit ragout with soft polenta, followed by roast apricots with meringue and something else, I've forgotten.  However, our further plans were thwarted as we were going to go and have a look round the Yoxford Antiques Centre but discovered it was closed on Tuesdays. I do hope this isn't going to develop into a theme!  So we went to Framlingham instead and sat in luxury in The Crown with a nice cup of tea

Lazy day on Wednesday, then on Thursday my school friend came to visit and we went out....yes, you've guessed it, for lunch!  This time to the Farm Shop Cafe at Marlesford.  We both had asparagus salad followed by raspberry and chocolate roulade.  Then we went for a walk along the river wall at Woodbridge and talked and talked and talked.

On the Saturday I went to meet my new friend Tabitha

Then it was back to normal for a few days but on the Wednesday it was such a lovely day I decided I wanted to go to Stonham Barns and persuaded OH to come with me.  I belong to a group on Facebook for photos of Suffolk so I took the proper camera with me.

We took a picnic and I had a wander round the shops but resisted temptation and we caught two of the flying demos.

We've also "been to the movies" a few times.  Best seats in the house of course, thank you to the man who invented the DVD.  I will do a separate post about those.

Since then I have been back to normal (for a given definition of normal) but am now looking forward to some more excitement next fortnight or so!

Another birthday day

It is a while since I've been to an auction.  The first time I bid for a house, that was about 30 years ago.  It wasn't for me, I had a client who wanted to buy it and they were too nervous to bid for it themselves, so, as their legal representative, they asked me to do it for them. I, of course, didn't admit that I had never done it before. (we were successful by the way)
Later, when I had a boyfriend who was into antiques and china and stuff I went to a lot of auctions. We sold at fairs and then had some places in antique centres.
Later still I had a go at buying a few bits for myself and to sell on ebay.  If I'd had a day job I would not have given it up!

So, today, I went to an auction with a friend who had never been to an auction before. She enjoyed it and she bid and won on something, so that pleased me.

I was going to bid on a few things but, like my friend, a lot of the things we had our respective eyes on started off way over the estimate.  We felt that this simply indicated what good taste we both had.  But I did get a Charles Horner brooch, which my mum said she would buy me for my special birthday.

Also, as there was a good gap in the middle of the things we wanted to see so we were able to go and get lunch at The Wild Strawberry Cafe

A Hundred Birthday Days

It isn't my birthday until July but it's one of those with a 0 on the end so I had planned on having a big party.  But then stuff happened.  Stuff that has no place here because this blog is only about nice things, but some of you will know anyway and for those who don't it was only illness related, me, hubby and mum, so not really nasty stuff, but I just haven't felt like coming here for a while.
So, after the stuff, I decided that it was too much of a risk to have a do and then find I wasn't up to it when the time came.  Then I thought, "well, you never get to talk to everybody properly in a crowd so why not have lots of little get togethers, trips out etc" and that is what I decided to do.  So, from now to the end of July I shall be keeping a look out for days when the opportunity arises, and that's about a 100 days of possibilities.  Well, I say days, of course, they can't be full days as I have my carer duties to perform although they will, some of them at least, help me suss out some places for wheelchair friendliness.
So, today I went for lunch with a friend to  The Swan at Westerfield.  It is very comfortable and the menu is varied.  We both had Walnut and Gorgonzola Ravioli followed by Caramelised Lemon Tart with Lemon Sorbet and Raspberry Coulis.  Both were fab.  Generally I think it would be accessible but there is no disabled loo, which is a shame.
Then, my friend and I both having carefully checked opening times on the website, we went to Helmingham Hall  but it was closed.  Later checks revealed that the info on the Google site was wrong but the proper website was right.  Silly us.
So we got lost.  Literally.  On purpose. Well, sort of.  And we ended up at Easton Farm Park which has changed a lot since I was last there but was interesting, although much more oriented towards children now.  Then we got sort of lost again, but that didn't matter because the Suffolk countryside is very lovely and were home in time for tea!
P.S. I took a nice photo of a swan that I was going to put at the top of this post but Blogger seems to be having difficulty with that. Sorry!

Realistic Resolutions

I suppose we'd better get the subject done and dusted.  Have you managed to keep to any of your New Year Resolutions so far?  Did you think about them properly before you made them?  What is the point of them anyway?  It seems to me that, like dieting, the advice is always "if at first you don't succeed....."  but there's also a little matter of the feasibility of you keeping to or continuing to try whatever it is you have resolved to do.  By all means decide to read the entire works of Shakespeare in a year if you really want to, but does it matter if you only manage a couple of the comedies?  By all means resolve to walk 25 miles a week but if you only manage 10, does that matter?  Maybe you would feel better about yourself if you only resolved to read one play or walk 5 miles and then managed more?
And be ready to fail and start again.  I was going to try and go for a walk at least 5 times a week and try to increase the distance and/or time as I went along and then my back gave way so I have been barely able to totter round the house for the last few days.  Am I downhearted. NOOOOO!  Pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again!

Always look on the bright side

Through the magic of Twitter I agreed to fill in a questionnaire about my experience of Fibromyalgia .  If you don't already know what that is, or would like confirmation, then click the link.

Reading the questions did, to begin with, make me feel a bit of a fraud, as has reading posts by other sufferers.  I know it is an impossible task to compare how one person feels to another but I did find myself wondering if I was making a bit of a fuss because I don't seem to be anything like as bad as other people.  Admittedly I have come to a point in my life where I no longer have any great dreams for the future and, for the most part, am pretty content with my lot and I can sympathise with those who feel that this condition is stopping them from living their lives the way they want to.

I gave up working when I was in my early 50s.  I had been in very stressful jobs and I was beginning to think that I couldn't go on. My husband is disabled and he was beginning to deteriorate and my mother, who at that time lived 45 minutes drive away, was also beginning to lose mobility.  We decided that we could manage if I gave up work, never having been ones for big holidays or the latest trends anyway and the feeling of relief when the day came was just amazing.

Gradually it wore off!

Now, I don't intend going into great detail about the various health difficulties that I had for the past 35 years or more (yes, I did say 35) leading to my diagnosis.  I will say, however, that when I looked up the symptoms afterwards, it explained SO many things.  That, in itself was a blessing.  I had a reason for all these "phantom" problems, i.e. symptoms that led to tests that were always negative and the fear that my GPs would mark me down as a hypochondriac.  I was able to rid myself of the feeling that I was just lazy when I needed to sleep in the afternoon.  I had some reassurance that I was not heading for a heart attack.  And, I was prescribed a mild anti-depressant which suddenly changed my whole outlook.  I even found I was no longer so afraid of wasps and the panic attacks stopped.  So, it led to an adjustment of what had always been a chemical imbalance which affected my moods.  I am so thankful to have found a GP who did not just look at me and say "Menopause. Next please"
As my husband has become less able I have not felt that I have been done out of things because I was happy not to have to go off on long trips or help redecorate the house and he has understood my situation probably a lot better than if he had been able bodied.  It means he is able to help me too which does a lot for his self esteem.
I have become more patient, more accepting, and it has strengthened my faith.  As a Methodist preacher, it has given me some interesting things to include in sermons which, through God's grace, have touched others.  It has made me more willing to let God use me in situations where before I would not have had the courage.
I am NOT saying I wouldn't rather be without it but I sure have learned that there's good to be found in everything, if you let yourself be open to it.

Welcome back!

Welcome back.  I enjoyed my daily blessings blog and made it to the end of the year. Normal service will now be resumed!

The new blog

Well, I hope that all is set up for my blessings blog. You can find it here http://jaysblessings.blogspot.co.uk/

Have you missed me?

2014 is nearly upon us.  I am making resolutions. I am going to start a new blog on which I will count my blessings. I will post a blessing every day, that is, something I am grateful for, and I will do some sort of artwork with it too.  I wonder how long I will keep it up?

In Your Shoes

I spent a very interesting morning at the hospital today.  No, there’s nothing wrong with me, or mum, or OH.  Well, nothing more than usual!  This was a sort of focus group thingy, where patients and carers were invited to share their experiences, good and bad, with a member of staff on a one to one basis, then in groups, to try and find out where things could be made better, changed etc, to make the whole hospital experience a bit less stressful and frustrating.  It’s called “In Your Shoes”

Some people had bad personal experiences and that was their focus, some had more general comments to make.  This is not the place to share specific things that were said. I was a little surprised that no comment was made at the beginning about treating what we heard in the room as confidential, although no one exactly bared their soul.

There were plenty of positive comments too.  I guess once you have had a bad experience you tend to dwell on those aspects, whereas if you haven’t had problems you can see the bigger picture.

Anyway, in our one to one we had to try and find pithy sentences to express what we wanted to say, good on green post-its and bad on pink.  In the group work these were discussed and stuck up on a chart on the wall by the facilitator’s lovely assistant who wrote appropriate headings.  I don’t think any voices were raised, which was a triumph of management, and everyone seemed to get to say what they wanted to say.  The post-it notes was a good idea, because that way the facilitator could see who still had a point to make.

It was also a good thing to hear what others had to say, it gives one some perspective.

I feel some sympathy for the people who have to run a big institution like a hospital, there is no way they can please everybody because the needs of some are in direct conflict with the needs of others.  This was not mentioned today, because it was important that people all felt that they were being listened to but my own thoughts on that are that when people want to be given time to talk, have things properly explained to them, but they don’t want to be late going in to their appointment there is a problem.  So some “buffer” time should be given?  But that means less people being seen in a day so longer waiting times to get the appointment in the first place.  Make sure you have one for 5 minutes and then one for 25 minutes?  Well, that doesn’t work because you don’t know how long each person is going to be so you can’t plan for that.  Make sure there is plenty of room for wheelchairs in the waiting areas? Well that means less seats for everyone else (actually, I had an idea about that. Flip up seats, just a few)

All in all it was a good day, so if you ever get the chance to take part in a “In Your Shoes” session, take it.

5:2 Decisions

First of all, I won’t bore you with posting about this every week from now on.

Secondly, I will continue with trying to do a full 24 hours, or as close as I can, at least once a week, and twice a week when I can.  I definitely find that it is easier that way for me, and having read the relevant parts of Michael Mosley’s book again, I think there are advantages.

Thirdly, in spite of what some people are telling me, I cannot find anywhere in the book that says you should eat more calories than normal on the other 5 days.  People in a trial that was reported were asked to, but later on it says that many people actually settle down to eating about 95% of what they had before and it doesn’t say that’s bad.  I am planning on having two fasting days, three good days and two not even going to think about it days

Fourthly, I know my biggest problem is that I am not burning off my calories because I get so little exercise. I can’t afford to join a gym, and finding time for a regular slot is a problem when you are trying to live three people’s lives instead of just one, as regards, appointments, needs to get out of the house, etc.  But I am going to try and walk locally much more, just for the sake of it, so not carrying shopping and so on.  Honest.

Fifthly I am doing this for the health benefits and the weight loss, while it would be welcome, is secondary to doing something about what would seem to be all the typical signs of a woman with too much fat round her vital organs.

When I feel like telling you anything else I will, but don’t hold your breath!

Three little maids from school

Get the diet report over with first.  Two good fasting days, yesterday and last Saturday.  Stopped eating at 7.00 pm the night before, nothing until 7.00 pm the following evening, then 490 calories for dinner and late breakfast the next day.  Changes in previous measurements and weight nil.  Changes in fat content up .2%.  Am I disheartened, yes I flippin' am.

Anyway, today was a lovely day as two school friends came to visit.  We had coffee here then went to see mum and had lunch with her, so hubby could have a bit of peace, then back here for a cuppa before they wended their various ways homeward.  Just lovely. 

5:2 Fifth week

Only managed to fast once this week.  Went all day, had usual fish veg and apple and rice pud, 490 calories.  Today I am 10st 4 lbs  42(!):35:39 and 37.1% fat.  So a slight reduction in fat which is good and an even more unbalanced set of measurements, none of which are any less and an increase in weight.  According to the thing that came with my fat measurer the healthy limit is 36% so I am pleased that has gone down but fed up about all the rest of it.