Going, going

but not all gone yet. Just another pound shed this week - slow but sure. My goals so far are:-

1.  No biscuits

2. No alcohol

3. No puddings or cake

4. Cut the suppers

5. Smaller portions

6. No bread with meals

7. Drink enough water

I still need to work on number 3 as I've been having 'just a tiny taste' of cake which really should be 'no cake'. I'm having trouble cutting suppers altogether but I have cut the amount. Numbers 1, 2, 6 and 7 I can do fairly easily.

My focus this week will be to add more veggies than I do already to my meals. The veg will be mainly mange tout as they are growing thick and fast. I shall do smaller portions of more fattening meals (I can't give up all my favourite meals) and leave the larger portions to non fattening foods.

My clothes are less tight now which is good.

xx

For Arlene

I wrote about picking out the side shoots on my tomato plants in the last post. Here's a link to a video on how to do that very thing.

And here's another.

I've been pinching out the side shoots every day. It's surprising how fast they grow.

Hope this clarifies everything, Arlene.

xx

Morning Routine

As part of my Morning Routine I take a tour around the garden while the cat goes for a walk-around. All is growing well and we will soon be eating the potatoes as these flowers have been on for a while. The Mange Tout are waving about in the background. Hi there. They have featured in our meals for the last week plus have been given away to friends as there are so many of them. Over to the left are broad beans and in the middle are sweetcorn which are just getting going.

The dingily dangly mange tout grow from a flower in about a day! I don't need to string them and they take very little cooking - just steamed, stir fried, boiled for a while or eaten raw.

A mountain of strawberries await us.

The chive flowers make a wonderful show with the foxgloves opposite them.

A very important part of my Morning Routine is picking off the side shoots of the tomato plants. In the past I have been very lax and they have grown all over the place in the greenhouse. No more - it's in the routine and off they come. I thought every other day would do for an inspection but no, daily vigilance is required to eliminate these little blighters.

I thought I was doing well until I spotted this one sprouting from the base of the plant.

Oh no! And this one is nearly another large plant.

Most of the other plants are growing straight upwards, if a little wonky!

Now they are receiving maximum light from the side windows. (The grape vine shades the roof windows.)

Here's my creative piece on the plot. It's a shame to pick the lettuce as it spoils the symmetry.

Happy planting!

xx

PS Not many people have commented on yesterday's post but I'll not send the parcel anywhere until next week, so if you would like to join in the blog giveaway game there will still be time. Sorry I can't mail to the rest of the world but postage would be too expensive.

One, Two, Three out of Ten

Let's play a never ending chain game. Here's the game and you can only score up to three out of ten. Everybody wins. Good game? Why not join in. Here's my idea.

I have put together 10 items, homemade, given or thrifted from the CB or CS. There is only one item that is new to me. I will send these items to one person who may choose up to three items to keep. They will then have to replace those chosen with some items of their own (no edibles or perishables please). Now it will be their turn to post on their blog to find another recipient. Once found they will send them ten items with the directions I have just outlined (I've repeated them in italics at the end of this post.)

My ten items are:-

1. A frilly, knitted scarf

2 - 6.  A Christmas stamp, dolphin cutter, wooden bookmark, fancy paper notebook and a pink necklace.

7 - 10. A crochet book, a packet of Christmas or greetings card blanks with envelopes, a new hair slide and an Egyptian themed stamp

This idea may or may not get off the ground as it depends on who is interested and who wishes to spend money on posting a small parcel. I'll set up a page to record each step of the parcel's journey and we should be able to view quite a few new to us blogs along the way.

So here are the directions for the:-

One, two, three out of Ten Chain Game

1. Leave a comment to be in with a chance of receiving the parcel.

2. Choose up to one, two or three things from the parcel and replace the items to make ten.

3. Comment on the One, Two, Three out of Ten Chain Game page when you've received and sorted out your new package and posted on your blog.

4. Decide whether to post just to the UK or to the world!

4. In your post make sure you have these directions.

I am only posting to the UK because of the weight of my package so my apologies to readers from across the seas.

Please leave a comment if you wish to have a chance of receiving this parcel.

xx

I knew it

The weather was glorious.

Easy decision to go to the neighbour's BBQ to be sociable.

Many burgers (well only 2) were consumed and drinks drunk.

Perhaps we should have made an excuse to leave earlier.

The afternoon was very relaxed and pleasant with good company.

Eventually we left, early in fact.

Doing so we thought we had not strayed too far from the dieting.

It's very easy to do but now we are back on track so …

only half a pound lost this week. Still the weight is on a downward track.

Smaller portions this week and chewing for longer!

xx

Car Bootyful

Do I need more wool? Yes, of course.

Do I need another basket? Oh yes - I can store things in it and the whole look will be streamlined.

Do I need more paper? Certainly do - this little book contains lots of different coloured papers that are ideal for card making.

It's a lovely little book, which also could be a present for someone.

Do I need more files? Well if I'm to get myself organised then yes and they hide a multitude of cr** things.

Was it a good haul today?

Oh yes - I'm off to knit a twirly scarf now. My stash of presents will grow.

xx

Question

Is it a boat or is it a plane?

Or could it be a very large willie warmer?

No! It's the start of another of my creations. I've not finished it yet …

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… so I can't tell you what it's going to be or even if it will turn out what I want it to be at all!  (I think that sentence made sense!)

I'll show it when it's finished.

xx