What have you learned in the past 7 days?

[MrsMerryHenry]

I've learned that if you eat a food item that is harder to digest, it ends up lower in calories than a piece of food which is soft and malleable.

For example.

Flapjack (hard)
Advertised calories: 200
Actual digested calories (non-scientific guess): 180

Chocolate Brownie (soft, yielding, chocolatey flesh...)
Advertised calories: 200
Actual digested calories (non-scientific): 200. Or is that 210? Hmm...I need to get back to the article and check my facts...

Anyway, that's all roughly true. Don't ask me why. Ask the New Scientist.

Oh, and - not in the last week - but getting dds a rabbit and a guinea pig is a really bad idea.

I have learnt after a party at our neighbours, that all the houses in our (new)block are everso slightly different inside with regard to layout, kitchen and the colour of the tiles in the shower room...

Dd was pleased to learn that the family at the end have a trampoline and she is welcome to go and bounce on it!

That teenage girls eat more than fully grown adults.

That teenage girls are incapable of cleaning up after themselves.

That teenage girls are addicted to McDonalds and would go there over and above anywhere else.

That teenage girls never offer to do the washing-up and go 'humpf' when asked.

That teenage girls will sneakily buy burgers and chips in the afternoon despite being told not to eat anything else before going to a restaurant in the evening.

That teenage girls leave wet towels on the floor and go and get dry ones (then leave those on the floor).

That teenage girls can get through 28 cartons of orange juice in a day if not watched.

That teenage girls can eat 4 packets of cookies in 2 days - when everyone else has gone to bed.

That I was not aware how hard looking after my DSD and her friend was going to be before asking them to stay for a month!!!!!

Oh and that my DD is going to be absolutely heartbroken when her super big sister goes back to UK next week - actually I did know that, just didnt realise quite how much she missed her.

I've learned that Leningrad's just had a baby! LeninGrad!! Congratulations!

Also that in the Jewish religion apparently a woman can divorce her husband on the groudns that he doesn't satisfy her. So now you know.

Tortoise, what have you done? My dentist may hate me but my kids will love it!

Sorry to any dentists reading this!

1. how to make v v nice moussaka type ratatouille/pasta sauce thing, freeze it, and reheat it...then actually eat it and enjoy it!

• I have learnt that ds can only see in 2d.

• I have learnt that if you want to drink meths you should put it in milk! (that was a strange work conversation!!!)

• That I am not the only adult to be terrified of Watership Down, and I am also not the only person to refuse to watch it again even though I am in my thirties (thanks, MN)

• that I now weigh 12 stone. This made me nearly cry in Boots (where I weighed myself)

• that is costs nearly fifty quid a month to belong to Virgin bloody Active gym.

I have learned how much I really really REALLY hate ironing.

I have learned that we cannot live on £100 a week for the 4 of us without verging on nervous breakdown.

I have learned that people don't always do their jobs properly

I have learned that afforementioned don't really care.

I have learned that UK has changed beyond recognition in some ways[not good]since we left and returned.

I have learned that my boys make me laugh even in the midst of utter panic of how we are going to manage.

This I have learned today and also in last few weeks

The job bit I have known for years tbh

that a first class seat on a plane costs around £30,000 to construct.

That when I put my mind to planning in advance, not only do I enjoy it but it makes everything go more smoothly - and I can still enjoy my default setting of going with the flow.

That I enjoy being 35 far more than being 25.

GetOrf - please DON'T pay for a gym membership, there are a million ways to get fit and lose weight for very little money indeed. I've just bought a skipping rope (ebay £5) and have found loads of great tips on skipping myself fit on google. V low time investment needed too - thank god for that.

You could also swim, run outdoors, far nicer than on a treadmill (get good trainers - £50-£80 should do it for 12-18 months' running, also running clubs are v cheap to join and a great motivator plus you can run in the dark winter months and still feel safe), cycle, do yoga, get a dance video and do it in your front room. Also eat smaller portions - enough food to fit in your two palms (hands cupped together) then add veg. There. See how cheap it can be?

Good luck .