Christmas cooking

Brownies, Trumpet, Walking, Weightloss

Brownies:  We made these last week.  I LOVED them.  This is my one - the kids had a lot more glitter on theirs!  It's a pine cone painted green (some of the girls painted them gold), then glitter or sequins and a star on top.

Trumpet is fun - it is busy season (phew! I had begun to wonder if the gigs would come in, but they did).  This weekend was Messiah and Gloria-packed.  The rest of the run to Christmas will be a fiesta of Bach.  I love all these things.

Walking:  The gig on Saturday left time for a walk and it was BEAUTIFUL.  It is snowy and icy here - thawing now - so walking was difficult and we didn't go very far.  We took a short loop up towards a disused quarry, past an old well, around and onto a thoroughly frozen pond, then back to the car along the side of the river.

I have photos.  Scotland is so pretty!

Weightloss - another 5lb according to our very dodgy scales.  I think I might buy some new ones today.... we mostly estimate how wrong we think the scales could be and deduct what we suspect is an appropriate amount.  The doctors scales and the gym scales confirmed they are approx 1 stone out!

Stuff

OK... I have been busy as is usual in the pre-Christmas season.  I am delighted about this, but am also getting the typical coughs and sneezes that you pick up when you're tired.

At Brownies last week they did an animal themed Promise ceremony.  I was working so missed it :( but believe it all went smoothly.  They wanted to do animal fancy dress, we have animal mask kits and I bought lolly sticks and printed giraffe heads for them to cut out of funky foam with goggly eyes to make giraffe bookmarks.

This week we are meant to be doing street theatre, but I have NO idea how to start.  Any tips?

Diet-wise it's going good.  I am still measuring everything and counting stuff.  I am spinning on Mondays and Fridays and am walking to work wherever possible.

And I have lost over 60lb!  That's a lot - and it's quite a nice boost actually - good motivation to continue.  I have dropped 4 dress sizes and am just at the point where I would like some new clothes, but funds are a bit tight, and I'm still dieting so hopefully will drop a few more sizes yet.  It's the perpetual weight-loss conundrum.

I have started an Open University course too, but I'm not ready to share more details quite yet.  It takes 6hrs a week though, which is hard to find at the moment.

Dona Nobis Pacem

Today I will be thoughtful.  I will co-operate and will not cause friction.  I will be peaceful.  

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Dieting

I just decided to update my ticker at the top of this blog. I last updated it in June.

I had to put it UP by a pound.

At first that dismayed me, but on the positive side I have climbed a mountain this weekend, been to spin classes twice last week, walked to work twice and am therefore much much healthier than prior to changing my lifestyle.

The hill we climbed was Ben Donich.  The photos are from the walk which was icy and frosty at the start and snowy as we made the descent.  It was fun.  Two days later my legs are still hurting!

And that is a normal week.  With the exception of climbing the big hill, there's nothing there I don't do on a weekly basis.  OK I can't always do two spin classes, but I have been doing running training and have signed up for the free work gym which I hate and for the council public gym which I like.

I have also FINALLY got some drugs to help with horrible PCOS.

The overall picture is much more positive than negative.

Michelin Star food

Our food today at "Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond" was outstanding. I don't want to forget any of it:

We arrived early. I went upstairs to look around the hotel and inadvertently entered a suite. I think the occupier had checked out & left the room wide open.  It was beautiful! Lovely lounge, stand-alone bath, views of Loch Lomond.

Having spotted the bath (and realised I was not in a communal lounge) I retreated, rejoined birthday boy and we went to the restaurant.

They seated us in leather armchairs in a light room with views of the lawn and loch. We were brought a tray of entrees after taking our drinks (water) order.

We were given a rectangular platter on which they placed 2 haggis fritters (little balls), 2 parmesan puffs and 2 beetroot and horseradish macaroons. We were told to eat them in that order. Quite honestly I would rather I had eaten them in the opposite order (my order of preference) but PJ loved the beetroot thing.

A waiter arrived with bread next. Rye bread, honey bread, white bread.

We received amuse bouches next: a mackerel ceviche - mine had bones, and a tiny scallop with chestnut mousse and mushroom sauce which was absolutely indescribably tasty. This juicy morsel of scallop followed with a blast of saliva-inducing sheer savouriness.

Then came the food we had actually ordered:
Scallop in Jerusalem artichoke veloute with hazelnuts.
Game pithivier with celeriac.

The winner for me: scallop and soup. The veloute was unexpectedly delicious. From its appearance we could not have anticipated the punchy flavour. The crunch of hazelnut added the final touch. The game smelt a bit like hot pate.

Mains: sea bream wrapped in potato on pea mousse with shrimps in the sauce.
Calves liver with pancetta and posh mash.

Winner for me: fish but only JUST, because the calves liver was remarkably succulent.

Desert: mango and coconut on lime pannacotta. Sounds odd but PJ loved it. Chocolate & pistachio with creme fraiche.

I don't like mango or coconut so that wasn't for me!  The winner: chocolate.

What a bargain: £25 a head.

Brownies AND Guides

Today I am braving the next agegroup up in Girlguiding and have invited the Guides (without one of their own leaders) to join the Brownies to go to watch CBBC's Incredible Edibles being filmed.

Wish me luck!

On another note - I signed up for the free gym at work.  Why have I never done this before?  Because I am a scaredy cat and because I couldn't see the appeal of locking myself in the basement running on the spot.

To be quite honest, when I write it like that I still can't really see the appeal of locking myself in the basement running on the spot.  However I feel the benefit of it today, and have had a full English breakfast as a reward to myself (no oil, grilled of course!).

Tonight we are going to the rugby!  Glasgow Warriors v Ulster.  BIG match - standing (waterproofs may be required).

Otherwise: I have to do some trumpet practise this weekend.  Quite a lot actually.  I have been a lazybones this week as far as trumpet is concerned.

Sunday is my OH's birthday - we are going to a Michelin Starred restaurant, which will be a first.  I wonder whether it will be stuffy/formal so we hate it, or relaxed and high quality.  I will let you know!

I have a few birthday pressies to buy on Saturday - and a card to make.  I hope he doesn't read my blog - pretty sure he is as bored of it as the rest of my family!!

Still running...

I am still on schedule with the couch to 5k.  It seems it really does work!

Today I should have been doing my first 20minute run.  I should (on Saturday) have done an 8 minute run, 5 minute walk repetition but I forgot to take a sports bra away and when I tried it it was really quite uncomfortable - sore shoulders!

So.. I considered today whether I could skip the 8min day and head straight for the 20min run (that I really didn't want to do!).

After starting running and managing to get to 8 minutes (which felt a long time), I then thought... well I can TRY it.  I can always stop and walk if I need to.

But I didn't need to!  I didn't find it fun... it is not fun.  Perhaps when I know how it works, feel confident that I have the strength for it, then I'll be able to let my mind wander and occupy myself with musings as I do on a walk.

For now I think of things like "only 1 more song to go.... it must be about 3 minutes a song!" or "I wonder if it still counts as running if I go as slow as I would walk..."

About 10-15 mins into the running I saw some girls on bikes who looked familiar.  I ignored them (since I was red, sweaty and trying my first ever 20 minute run!) but they cycled up to the running track and started riding round to meet me.  Sure enough, it was an old Brownie of mine and her friend.  

Whilst I love my Brownies and I think Girlguiding is an amazing organisation there are times at which I would be happiER to see a familiar face.

I had a very brief chat with them - then carried on training.  It was actually quite nice to see some smiley faces towards the middle of the run.

When I got home, my other half told me he had never seen my face so red.  Nice!

(p.s. - look at this beauty - found him on the road by the house.)

Bad weather & Short days

We need to get better orgnised with some more healthy food in our house!  Today was a good diet (sorry - conscious healthy eating) day.  I had toast for breaky, vegetable omelette for lunch and some mince and carrots for tea.  They sound dull, but with herbs & spices I loved the meals.  It all totals up to a low points value and I have felt satisfied.

This has been the only good day.  I have been craving stodge for the last week or so and have eaten the following junk food: McDonald's Big Mac, Fish & Chips, Chinese (though that was ok - picked chicken chow mein).

Don't get me wrong - I'm not beating myself up about it.  I actually feel ok - it seems the exercise is balancing the eating out, but I haven't been LOSING any weight.  I think it's just because it's cold and wintery.  Time to start slow cooker stews and other such dinners.

Exercise-wise I tried to run today as I had a day mostly off, but had been to the fish shop to buy sea bass and they sell eggs so I bought some of them too.  I had planned to run home (this week it's 3 minute run/walk, 5 minute run/walk - repeat) but when I tried running with the eggs they made ominous clacking sounds as they hit each other in the box!

I managed one 5 minute run... and just walked fast all the way home (20mins) apart from that.  The eggs made it home intact.

We have lots on the go at the moment - some learning and some other plans I'm not quite ready to share.  It's giving me little room for boredom!!

Exercise Log ....

Sunday morning I drove my other half to work dressed in my weird ugly leggings t-shirt lightweight-waterproof outfit so I could go for a run. 

It was drizzling.

When I got back to Glasgow to run in the park it had developed into a full on downpour.

Within 5 minutes I was soaked, but I ploughed on through - the warm-up walk wasn't particularly warming.  In fact I was shivering, but the first run was far more welcome as a result.

Initially I hopped over puddles, but after a section of path that was completely submerged and gave me no option but to embrace wetness entirely, splashing in puddles also became entertaining!

After 25 minutes of freezing cold watery running/walking I got back in the car. I  considered taking some clothes off to minimise damp in the car, but when I made a vague attempt to peel the sodden cotton off my body it was just too difficult and I drip-drove back to the house for a much-needed bath!

In the afternoon I had a Beethoven concert, so got back in the car and was surprised to find that the seat was dry, but the seatbelt had retained the moisture (I suppose when it retracted into it's plastic shell that it stayed nice and soggy).  Lovely!

The concert was fun - drove back - had some toast...

All in all it was an interesting day.

Spun

Last night I span... ok I went to Spin Fit.  It hurt.

We then went to watch Glasgow Warriors at home.. they won, but it was not brilliant rugby and I could see that despite my lack of expertise.

It was also freezing and wet.

Next time we see them will be in Northampton.

Did it!

Run 1 of Week 3 Couch to 5K done....

I was really lacking in motivation today - I felt tired and a bit down in the dumps after our very lovely nephew and his mum left this morning.   Dixie seems to be missing them too.

I had also read the intro to this week's run programme and had discovered that I would need to run for 3 minutes at a time.  This sounded hard.

I spotted a comment on my blog - and when I read it I found encouragement from my friend.  Thank you CountryDew!

My other half and I headed out - he picked blackberries and rosehips while I ran round Mugdock Reservoir.

3 minutes of running is a bit unpleasant, but not impossible.  I don't like it so it's hard to make myself carry on for longer times.  One positive was that the 90 second runs seemed much shorter afterwards.

I ended up on the very far end of the reservoir and had not anticipated the walk back.  Having looked it up (just now) it is 3 miles right round the reservoir.  I must have run (interval-training running... part run part walk) about 2.25 miles.  I walked the rest with only 2 minutes of running when I realised how far I had to go to get back to the start.

Having already walked around 5 miles on my commute today I was tired at the end, but we bought some chinese take-away food on the way home and it has turned out to be a very lovely evening.

Ran with my pal and her dog again last night - managed week 2 day 2 (though day 1 was a bit of a cheat, as I didn't really have time on the way to and from spin class) without ill effect!

Today: Spin with my friend, but have a feeling this one might be the crazy spin instructor man who makes you sprint for 45 mins.  I hated that one... will feel good afterwards though.

Sports update again... yawn

Today: Tried the training on the way to the gym for spin class.

Found spin class MUCH better - could do the whole thing without cheating (admittedly I was taking the 'half-turn' option whenever the instructor said 'turn the resistance on 1 whole turn, or 1/2 turn'...)

Still - it's exciting.  Fitness improving.

Tomorrow at Brownies we are talking like Pirates.  We have games, songs and a craft.  Should be fun!

Running & Brownies

Running:

I have stuck with it for 1 week - a good start as according to the plan, I only have to do 5 weeks to get to run 5K.

This week I ran for 1 minute 8 times, on three days with a 90 second walk between each run.

The last session was FUN because my friend joined me with her dog - and that meant that we could chat whilst we did it.  It also meant the run took twice as long because we chatted all the way on our walks (she talked whilst running too.  I can't do that!), then we chatted all the way home.

So this week: I could go again today, but you're meant to have a day off.  I could do it tomorrow instead of spin class... but I wonder if I could do it as well... Perhaps I will interval run to the gym, see if there's a space in spin (hoping secretly that there won't be), then walk home.

Update: Have booked spin.  It normally takes me 25 mins to get there walking, so I think it will need to be:

5min brisk walk
1 min run
1 min walk
1 min run
1 min walk
5 min brisk walk

Hopefully that will get me to spin on time - and warmed up.

Or would I just struggle to do the spin class if my legs were already tired?  It'd only be 2 mins of running so I think I'd be OK.

Not sure I'll be able to walk home though!
(actually there is no choice about that - there's no other way home... it's too close to get the bus without embarrassment).

Brownies:

Yesterday we had a Brownie sports day thing in Glasgow.  499 Brownies signed up to try a range of activities.  We got to do cheerleading, relay races, long jump, high jump, discus, play on a bouncy castle, try out a climbing wall and take part in basketball and rugby training.

It was great!  The girls threw themselves into it - I was very impressed.

We had a slight wobble here and there: one girl was upset she didn't get higher on the climbing wall (she's only just 7 and I think just wanted a little attention) and another got a little bit hurt in rugby when a Brownie tackled her badly - she told me tearfully "It's just I've never done any of these things before..." and was calmed down easily with some reassurance.  A promise to make sure we tell her Mum how impressed we have been with her sent her back off to join in the rugby for the last 15 mins of the day.

If I could change anything:  I would have liked a morning break - we had some very hungry Brownies by 12.40 (lunchtime) after a 9.30 start.  We were provided with fresh fruit at lunchtime and I think it would have been more sensible to collect that in the morning with the bottled water and eat it between the first two activity sessions.

So.... What's next for us?  Tuesday is "Talk Like A Pirate Night".  I have found a pirate story to make into a game, AG is going to show them how to make pirate hats from newspapers, Old YL now L is going to find some pirate songs.  New YLs have no job as they were running a game whilst we discussed this...  might need to work out how to involve them more.

After that we have a trip to Drumchapel library (hopefully - keep forgetting to phone them.  Will go and do that now) for a treasure hunt.  We did it before, and it was brilliant.  We hid clues in some books: "Do you need to find your way?  Look for the book of world maps" - next clue hidden in Atlas, "He loves honey, and has a very bouncy friend" - next clue in Winnie the Pooh for example.  Can't actually remember them right now - we'll think of better ones!

Otherwise, we're doing the sports badge thing and will start planning pack holiday either for November or for Spring term.

Hope Southern units are enjoying the start of their term!  I'm loving being back.

Run 2

I ran again.

One more to do this week - tomorrow morning or evening or Saturday.....

It's quite rewarding but I find it hard.  Even running for just 1 minute in a burst is quite hard.

Will keep updating as I like having the record here.

Update: Last night I went for the run immediately after work before a Brownie leaders meeting (2.25hrs or meeting!), in strong winds and a bit of rain.  I managed the whole programme but ran out of time for the warm-down walk, and sat all sweaty and red in the meeting.

ouch.

This morning I did spin class. It really hurts...

Now I want to sleep. I think I might have a long warm bath. I might play sudoku while I bathe.

That sounds nice.

Couch to 5K

to try or not to try....

Update: Tried. It was ok. I think I will do it - it's a 5-week training thing and I downloaded podcasts from the NHS website to use.

Today I did the first bit - which is a brisk 5minute walk, then 60secs running, 90secs walking until you've done 8 repetitions at which point you do another 5mins of brisk walking.

I had a bit of extra walking after that since I ended up at the shop to buy water and found I'd run SO FAST (?!) that my money had fallen out of my pocket. Thought about retracing steps but I'd wiggled around the park quite a few times and it could have been anywhere. It was only £2.00.

Fashion & Brownies

I have been following a Weightwatchers plan, and I have lost quite a lot of weight.

I would like some new clothes. I would like these clothes to have an open neckline and to have sleeves. I had not considered this to be demanding, rather quite standard requirements.

THERE ARE NO NICE CLOTHES ON SALE IN THE UK!!!!!!! (Except in Monsoon and I don't have hundreds of pounds to spend on new clothes while I am still on a diet).

It seems the current fashion is for floaty opaque shirts - many of which are sleeveless (a look I find weird), or pretty tops with high round necklines (which I like but don't suit).

Rubbish.

I want to share a moving Brownie moment from our first meeting of term.

A new (started at the end of last year) Brownie who is 7yrs old came to our first meeting back this term with an A4 notebook. She brought it over to show me - her Brownie Notebook. She had taken time in her Summer holidays to make it.

She had decorated the front, and had put her name etc in the inside.

She had filled up the beginning of her notebook with drawings of badges she got last term (she got THREE!), which she had cut out and sellotaped into the notebook along with drawings of her Six emblem and her Promise badge.

She had written the names of some friends, she had made notes of what she'd enjoyed so far......

Then was the page titled "Things I Have Learnt At Brownies".

To be nice to people.

To make new friends.

......

......

......

To put my sleeping bag out properly.

Ha! A VERY important Brownie skill.

This sort of moment is what makes Brownies such a pleasure!

During the Summer a Guide Guider pointed out to me that the Brownies age-group are little enough to let you know when they are enjoying things, which is rewarding. She was right.

It's lovely to think that what you do - or what you provide them with and enable THEM to do -has an impact, an importance, a meaning.

Did I mention before that I love it? I really do.