The big 50!

On Thursday a huge milestone passed us by - Jeff turned 50!!

50 sounds terribly old!

We were going to celebrate with a couple of days away but then BREXIT!!!!! was supposed to happen, then didn't but we didn't want to risk spending his birthday weekend in an airport, so a rethink of how to celebrate! He didn't want a party, didn't want to be whisked away somewhere in the UK, so he bought tickets for us to see The Specials in a couple of weeks time (his treat to himself) He wants a pair of DM's, so we're all off to Bath next week to help him choose, then enjoy a birthday meal out together. I got him a voucher to go Coasteering for 2 in the summer. He and Sam have always wanted to do that, so they can get that organised during the summer break and then some other bits and bobs to open on the day - a 1969 oldscool t-shirt, a Bristol City Football programme from the year he was born, a Specials album cover print.....

 

I guess his biggest surprise was having Sophie home!

I was supposed to be collecting her the following day but we organised it for her to get the train back on his actual birthday, I collected her from Castle Cary Station (same day the Queen visited!!) then she was home to surprise him, when he got home from work for his birthday tea.

LOVE surprises like that x

His cake was a cactus-esq design. 

Bit of a running joke here, as Jeff managed to kill a cactus! Sophie bought him a 'grow your own' for Christmas, which has done nothing, so we each bought him a real mini cactus, I'd found some cactus candles, so went with that as a theme for his cake.

So all in all a lovely day and lovely to have Sophie home too x

Happy Birthday Jeff - still looking good!

Love you xx

Sunshine....

.... at last!!

This morning I woke, opened the shutters and windows to the most beautiful day.

This is what I've been waiting for! 

The first coffee enjoyed sat outside in the morning sunshine. 

Flip flops on, jeans rolled up, cardie off - lovely.

Things are suddenly coming out, the blossom, leaves budding out...

...even my rhubarb has shown itself. 

Pretty pleased with that, as I actually thought I'd lost it.

Hopefully this is it now, better weather on the horizon - Spring has sprung!

Quality time with my two x

Had the best of both worlds this week - 

got to spend a whole day with each of my children!

Sophie has no lectures on a Monday, I had a day off, so an early start and drive to Reading. Dropped off supplies and then we were tourists for the day, with a day trip to Windsor. It's only half an hour up the road, gave her a change of scenery and it was lovely to just spend time together. Coffee and chat, walk around the town, down by the river, found the Long Walk, lunch at Bill's and more chat, with a trip to the supermarket on our way back, before dropping her back to Hall's and a 2 hour drive home.

Then today, time with Sam. He has no lectures on a Friday, needed/wanted new jeans, so a trip to Bath planned. Thankfully the second pair of jeans he tried on, were 'the ones' so we had a nice, relaxed mooch around Bath for the rest of the morning, then lunch at Bill's (twice in one week!) 

It's not often now that I get to spend quality time with each of my children and twice in one week is a real treat. They are so different, yet similar in so many ways too.

Moments to treasure as they become so grown up x

Just another week!

This past week has pretty much all been about work - in fact I've done 6 days in a row, my normal hours plus overtime. It's fine, kept me busy but boy is it cold! It's the end of the financial year, so lots of holiday had to be taken, plus illness, so I stepped up to fill a few gaps (just think of the money!!)

It has made my fasting/time restricted eating trial a lot easier. When I'm at work, I really don't give too much thought to food, even though I am handling it all day, so sticking to my fast has been easy. I briefly talked about it a month ago now, when my sister and I went to hear Dr Michael Mosley talk. I've decide to try fasting for the health benefits. Although my sugar levels are fine (I did a home test) women with PCOS are still more likely to have higher than normal blood sugar levels, be insulin resistant and struggle to process sugars. The longer your body is in a fasted state, blood sugars can restore and repair and once sugar is used up, your stored fat is then used.

Now this probably applied more when I was bigger - 5+ stone bigger. Those of you who have followed the blog over the years, will know that I lost 6 stone in 2014/15 with Slimming World. I still go to group but have an annoying stone I yo-yo with. Since the summer, I've faffed around trying, half heartily if I'm honest, to get back to my target weight. I'm hoping by eating in a time restricted window of 4-6 hours, it will aid my weight loss, as my danger time is late afternoon, the time when making tea. By starting my eating later, my normal snack has slotted into this danger zone, so I'm hoping my picking will stop.

My meals are fine, always healthy and on plan, it's the picking habit I need to stop. So far so good, 2 weeks in and the first week I lost 5 and a half pounds and this week a further 3lbs. I finally feel I can do this, I can get back to my target weight again and hopefully stay there - only 7.5lbs to go!

I still go to my Slimming World group every week, to weigh and have accountability to the scales. I love the support, ideas and motivation you get from group. This week was taster session and I made these Mediterranean bites - there were none left, so they must have tasted okay. The advised diet whilst fasting is a Mediterranean diet - protein, plenty of vegetables and good fats. I eat that way for my PCOS anyway, so am still enjoying my food. I've not restricted myself to the 800 calories, as I don't need to lose a huge amount of weight and would rather lose it steadily. Will report back in a few weeks time, as to how I'm doing. 

Pinch and a punch....

Pinch and and a punch....

...and in the blink of an eye, we said farewell to February and

....welcomed in the month of March.

We were treated to some beautiful weather during the last week of Feb but things have returned to normal sadly - grey, damp, cold and warnings of  Storm Freya on it's way. At least its not the Beast of the East, that brought the snow and icy cold weather last year.

So it's back to filling the house with bright daffodils and tulips until things improve.

Have a good week, not much to report from this end x