Catch Up:

Well, it's been a few days since I lasted posted, hasn't it? My Blog must have felt very lost and neglected without me, but hopefully He will forgive me and accept my excuse that I have just been far too busy.
In any case, I swore when I started this up again that this time I wouldn't drive myself mad trying to make sure that I posted every single day - regardless of whether I had anything of interest to say, I might add - simply for the sake of it. So, upset Blog or not, I feel no shame. None at all. So there. *sticks out tongue*

Anyway, on to my post. Busy as a bee I've been:

* Mother has been taking lessons on using the computer - ready for an eight week contract that has been set up for next term - and oh; what a trial it has been for both of us. They* say that doctors make the worst patients; well, apparently the same analogy applies to teachers trying to be students.
It isn't a deliberate thing, of course. She doesn't actively conspire to be a trying person to teach; but a fear of the unknown - computers in particular - combined with what she is learning being essential to her ongoing employment and compounded by the fact that she is a bundle of confused and tangled nerves at the best of times has made this past fortnight a bit of a pain in the posterior, frankly, and my patience has been strung out to the point of snapping altogether.
It has gone well, though. She has learned what she needs to; to download, to print, to save both to he hard drive and a memory stick, to use the "save as" function to create a copy of an existing file with a different name so that the existing file remains the same and the newly created file could be edited, to highlight and cut, copy, paste or simply type over... Everything she needed to know. It's gone well. It's just a matter of her having confidence in her new-found skills now; and that will come with time, as she practices and uses what she has learned day to day.

* Work has been...well, it's been work. Nothing unusual. I am counting the days till I get a full week off from it rather than a single day, though. 22 to go so far, if you're interested.

* I have started up my habit of visiting The Grandpapa and The Great-Aunt alternate Tuesdays again, which is nice. And it turns out that the three of us aren't the only ones happy about it; Bingo is positively thrilled. Thinking about it, of course, I can see why. While I get to see loved ones and have them to myself for a bit (whilst on the Tuesdays I visit The Great-Aunt also effectively avoiding The Brother and giving my nerves a rest), he gets a nice long walk and a visit with someone that will make a disgusting fuss of him...oh and a new bone each time. What's not to like?

* The volunteering has carried on in a reassuringly stable way. I tag or re-tag, check stock, fetch and carry...if Christine (the manager) is in I am able to train on the till too; I've served four customers so far. Nerve racking, it was. I think I prefer to be tagging, etc. upstairs and out of the way of everybody. I don't worry so much about getting things wrong, then.
Everybody I have met so far seems very nice. One man, Roland (or possibly Ronald; I still don't know) can be a bit unpredictable; if you don't immediately understand what he is saying he gets quite stuffy and impatient, but I can deal with that easily and anyway most of the time he is perfectly friendly. Yesterday he suggested a few films I might like to watch and told me where I could find them online to watch them for free. With mother back at work I'll have a but more time to myself - not long, but longer than I have had lately - so I'll see about watching them over the next fortnight or so. If I don't like them, well, I don't have to watch much of it and at least I can tell Roland that I've had a look: that should make him happy. Men like it if they think they've guided you into something.

* I've started my eating plan. Four days so far. It's going well. I nerved myself up and stepped onto the scales: I weigh 18 stone and 1/2 lb. It wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it to be. In fact, I've actually lost since the last time I weighed; last time I was 18 stone 6 lbs.
Anyway, I'm doing quite well. Being busy helps; a lot less time to sit around equals a lot less time to stuff my face. And that's all I'm all doing really: cutting out what I call the Pig Out sessions. I am still eating four meals a day, including a supper of a thick cheese sandwich and a chocolate mousse. In fact, I pretty much eat whatever I want for every meal - though breakfast tends to simply be a banana as that's all I can face at 5:15 in the morning - but I've eliminated the daily round of compulsively eating everything that I can afford to buy along with whatever I find in the cupboards. And it's going well. I feel confident. No diet; indeed no deprivation at all, really. There are rules I have to follow, of course, but they are quite simple.
The rules are:
1) Unless it comes with a provided meal (example: in a sandwich or hot meal given while out or at a friends') I am allowed ONE lot of cheese  - one full slice worth - per day.
2) Extras between meals (treats) MAY be had - Example: chocolate bar, cupcake, sweets etc. - but ONLY when in company and preferably it will be something it would be something that was to be shared.
3) As once I am slightly tipsy the chance of a Pig Out increases by about...oh, 95%; with the possible exception of the visit to The Grandpapa's on alternate Tuesdays and the rare occurance of a day out (example: a day out on the Valley**) NO alcohol is  to be consumed on any day except the accepted Naughty Day of the week (Saturday).
4) To avoid temptation and reverting to old habits, NO sweets, crisps, chocolate etc. is to be brought by me on any day other than Saturday UNLESS IT IS TO BE SHARED with another person (and therefore an accepted 'Extra'). And any sweets etc. brought to be shared with another person is to be brought ON THE ACTUAL DAY OF SHARING and not before.
5) Ketchup is to only be had with cooked (or provided) meals***, NOT with sandwiches/toast. This includes Saturdays.
6) All meals/extras/wobbles from Eating Plan are to be written down as close to eating as possible to give an accurate idea of what is being consumed and to remind brain that it is (MORE THAN) enough.


So there we have it.
My goal is to lose around 2 stone in total and to reach a loss of at least 20 lbs (and hopefully therefore a whole dress size) before my trip to Scotland. Even countering in the fact that I am not depriving myself, the drastic cut in calories simply by not Pigging Out as well as the exercise I get with my cleaning job and the dog walking etc. SHOULD mean that this is do-able. We'll see.

* As I mentioned I was planning to do, I have taken the plunge brought some new clothes! A skirt; so sumptuous and sexy feeling, it shows off the few curves I have left that haven't been buried under 2 stone or so worth of flab to perfection. A pair of jeans; a perfect fit and VERY flattering to the stumpy legs as well as to my (admittedly already well formed) bottom. A pair of shorts; denim again, and flattering to the hips and bum again, which will hopefully distract from the bloody legs. And finally, a pair of flesh-ish/gold-ish coloured sandals; incredibly comfortable, pretty and they go well with every item of clothing I own. AND after finishing my totally selfish shopping spree there was just enough money left for a smoothie. Good-Egg!

* The Games evening went well. We played Monopoly. The Grandpapa and The Great-Aunt had to be helped through the process of collecting the rents - they seemed to be half asleep and had to be all but screamed at to drive home the fact that upon landing on properties they had brought, we owed them money - but it was still a good game and fun, along with dandelion and burdock and a little bowl sweets, was had by all.

* The weather is warming up, finally. No ice to speak of now - though the mornings are still very frosty - which has made Bingo's walks more pleasant (for me, that is; he doesn't care). Apparently it will be properly warm and Spring-Like by early May. That seems very late to me. But still, if it is, it will be in time for my week off. Kayleigh Anne and I are planning to have an evening out, meal and drinks, around then too; so it would be grand if Spring had Sprung ready for that. Hell, even just a dry day - cold or not - would at least enable me to wear my nice sandals. Town is only a thirty minute walk away and we'd be eating and drinking inside, after all.

While we're on that subject, actually; Now I am feeling a bit happier (and fitter), Bingo's walks have gotten a bit longer. Not much, but a bit. This has allowed me to not only start up my weekly relative visiting again, but to keep an eye on the pair of Green Woodpeckers that hang around in the gully I used to frequent as well. It's nice. And despite his weak legs, he doesn't seem to mind the extra distance. Good-Egg (again)...


Anyhoot! To finish off my inane rambling and to change the subject from the goings of the past week and a half or so; I want a gerbil.
It's a silly idea, of course. I have no rational reason for it other than the fact that they are absolutely adorable and cuddly and soft looking. Truly. That is the only reason; they are Very Cute.
I shan't be getting one, of course. Forgetting the cost and inconvenience - they are not named Little Houdini's for nothing - I have a cat that would probably like to eat it. And a dog that would probably not turn his nose up at the prospect  either (though that is less of a worry as he wouldn't have a hope in heck of catching it). So I shan't be getting one.
I still want one, though.
It's a bloody nuisance.

* Who ARE 'they'? WHAT are 'they'? Where do 'they' come from? And where do 'they' hide out to make all these bloody observations?
** The Severn Valley Railway. I'll explain about that another time.
*** I am aware that the ketchup rule is a weird one, but it's necessary. Trust me. I have an addiction to the super-sweet tomatoey stuff and the ability to work my way through three or four bottles of it if my urge for it is not kept in check. Rule 5) is most definitely and absolutely and completely necessary. Definitely.