Tired Tuesday

Today is a tired Tuesday. I am sat at home in my house dress, with my laptop on my knee waiting for my dinner.  I love my house dress, its a vintage style ankle length patterned cotton dress, its so comfy, but not a nightie which means I can answer the door without embarrassment.

I have managed my 10000 steps today and had a lovely walk to the park.

This is only a 15 minute walk from my office....

I sat down and ate my sandwiches whilst watching toddler's and squirrels.... note to self, take nuts next time (for the squirrel's not the toddler's). Unfortunately the light today was not as good as yesterday so the pictures are quite bland. No point in posting the plant pics as they are uninspiring!

This was quite fab though,

I have managed to pour over the map's and arrange a ride for the weekend. LSP and I are going for a 25 Km   gentle bike ride. Its going to be 12.5 km there, stop and have a drink and then cycle back. It should be fairly gentle as there are only a few small hill's. We hope to be cycling most weekends as well as some in the week once the night's get lighter. We still need to keep hitting the gym, to help build core stability!

We have had some offers of help for fund raising which is great. I need to crack on with writing this cook book, so if anyone has any great cake recipes  to share I would appreciate it.

Hope you all had a good Tuesday, I will be off to bed soon night all.....

spring bunnies

At the end of Lent is Easter.

Usually at this time I am heading towards the chocolate shop to start buying Easter treats. Although chocolate is technically food I can't justify shopping to buy the usual chocolate fayre...

My favourite shop is usually Thornton's.

However, this year. It will be fabric bunnies not chocolate bunnies on the menu. 

I am going to sort through my many pieces of fabric, 

Draw a suitable Pattern, 

Stitch, 

Sew, 

Embellish,

Create, 

I am quite looking forward to it and showing off my creations!

Really short blog tonight, I have managed a day of not spending and had a good long lunchtime walk in the sunshine. I did not take my camera with me today so no sunny pic's I am afraid. It was a shame as the sun was really nice and the light was good. Oh well must pack it tomorrow.  

Hope you all had a good Monday!!!!

The start of an amazing journey

Today is the start of an 8 month journey, this journey will test, my creativity, endurance, perseverance, patience,stamina, commitment,  fitness ........ The Journey ends with a 400km cycle ride across Vietnam and Cambodia.

I am not doing this on my own, I am doing it with 2 very good friend's and 100 other women.

Why? you might ask, We are doing it to raise money for genesis research trust

Today, we went to the information day at Imperial College London.

It was amazing to be in a room with so many other women who are all doing the same thing. As I am on the large side I worried that I might be the largest in the room and everyone would look at me as if to say, What are you doing here? But no I was wrong, there were many women of all ages, shapes and sizes.

We had talks about the ride, how to prepare, more about the Charity including an address by Professor Robert Winston, The founding chairman of the Genesis Trust.

The journey between now and November is the training and fund-raising we need to do!

My personal reason's are contained in my bearded lady post I have been affected by gynaecological problem's my entire adult life and want to be able to give something back as I have benefited from the research that has gone into my condition's.

Their vision.
Advances in the well being of women and babies can only be achieved by research into the disorders which can affect anyone. Our primary aim is to improve the health of the unborn child and its mother.


Our successes include:
* One of the first screening programmes for cervical cancer
* One of the first pregnancy ultrasound screening programmes
* Early advances into placental physiology
* The prevention of premature labour
* Investigation into the genes involved in female cancers and embryo implantation
* The reduction of brain damage in babies born in a vulnerable state. 


I will still be doing my usual blogs but will be keeping a track of my fundraising and training progress. 


If you wish to get in early you can Donate here

home made soup and washing on the line.

A much more productive day today, than last Saturday.

Spring is defiantly here and I have been able to put some hours in the garden. After a nice morning of a lazy breakfast in front of Saturday kitchen I slowly prepared some home made veg soup for lunch.

It was yummy if I say so myself.....

I was then able to turn my attention to the garden. I started by hanging the washing outside for the first time this year! I love the smell and feel of washing that has been dried outside......

The flower bed has survived the winter well, I think there have been a few casualties of the snow but not too many. Its time for some serious dead heading and weeding.

Before

After

My rampage through the garden was brought to an abrupt halt when I managed to slice half my fingernail off.
(no pictures, that would be gross)

I was so gutted as I was doing so well, but it was to uncomfortable to continue. The garden is springing to life, slowly. I am a bulbaholic, there are hundreds in this small flowerbed,

But there is always room for a few more......

(they were bought before lent)
A day at home means no temptation, so I am keeping to the 40 day's of no shopping!

Shopping seems really trivial, having watched any of the news in the past 2 days.

Please look at my friend's post flora and purl, my wish would be that everyone would be ok, Although I know that will not be possible. As I watched the images in the news of the past few day's I have found the scale of the disaster so hard to comprehend. seeing images of buildings, boats, cars, trains and planes being swept along by the massive wave. You cant help thinking of the the thousands of people who will have been killed or injured and the millions of people whose lives will have been affected by the tragedy. My thoughts and prayer's are with them.

Day 3......

Ok, so its Friday and the 3rd day of no shopping.......Normal blogging will resume soon at the moment I am very focused on

At lunch time today, I was at an office across town. So I elected to start my lunch across the town and spend my lunch break walking back to my office. It took 40 minutes as it was a slow walk back through the green's and the parks.

After work, we went to Tesco, Oh the temptation, everywhere. They had a clothes sale!!! I resisted.

I have an interesting weekend ahead, tomorrow I am hoping for some dry weather. I want to get into the garden, do some tidying and some trimming as well as some general housework.

We have an exciting day planned on Sunday but will tell you more on Sunday!!!

Have a happy weekend!

Day 2.....

Well I have discovered that I am not mad! There are many other people who are doing without over lent, My LSP (Long Suffering Partner), is giving up crisps, to anyone who know's LSP they know this is a huge sacrifice.

I have discovered many people in blogland who are doing the same. I have been inspired by  Midnight Maniac  and have pledged to do without for 40 days. Midnight Maniac is going without meat and clothes shopping. Tea and Crumpets  is also doing without clothes shopping for 40 days!

So today was day 2, Busy day so no time to think about shopping, that is until lunch time. A lunch break is very important to me, There was a time when I rarely had one, however. I only get paid for a 7.5 hour day. I start at 08:30 and finish at 17:00. If I do not take a lunch break then I am giving 1 hour of my time for free, as much as I love my job I am not a volunteer especially in the current climate of pay cuts. I am less inclined to donate my services.  I try to have one at least 4 times per week (crisis permitting).

So its lunch time and I am hungry, I walk down to the shop and pick up a salad, walk back to my desk and eat my Salad, As I am eating I find myself reading my email's, drafting an email and before I know it I am working!!! Admittedly I am shovelling Salad at the same time but this is still work.

I considered going for a walk however the wind was blowing a gale and the rain was starting so a walk was not top of my list!

So I take myself off to the library for the last 1/2 hour of my lunch break. I started by Joining the library. Shocking I know, I am 35 and not a member. But I am now. I had a nice wander around then headed up to the local studies section. I love genealogy. So I spent some time looking through the history book's written about my village.

It was a fab way to spend a lunch break, nearly as good as going for a spot of shopping!!!!

Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent.

 I do not always observe lent but this year I am.

I am going to give up shopping!!!!! It would be to easy to give up alcohol as I seldom drink, I can give or take chocolate so will naturally go for weeks without any same with crisps, biscuits and other snack food.

Shopping will be a real struggle. I love shopping. Especially if I am getting a bargain!

I will still be buying food as I cannot expect myself and my family go on a 40 day fast. However, I will not be buying any clothes, shoes, bags, hats, jewellery, ornaments, books, magazines, newspaper's etc. I will not be visiting any antiques shops, markets, charity shops, department stores, ebay, etsy, and so on.....

If we don't need to eat it or need it to clean the house, clothes or ourselves it won't be coming into the house!

Obviously if something blow's up then it may need to be replaced if it is an essential! Otherwise, no shopping. 

Why, put myself through this torture!

 I have had a few experiences in the past month of meeting people who have nothing or very little, people who due to the changes in the way that benefits are being dealt with that they have no money for food. It makes my spending seem very frivolous and indulgent. I will spend time thinking about people who cannot go shopping. Not just people in this country but people all over the world who spend their day's just trying to get buy, who work all day to earn enough to feed their family. People who walk half the day to collect water. 

I think this is the meaning of lent to most people today, the opportunity to think about other's and their difficulties. 

I know I will be tempted.........

But must stay strong......