Jan 2009 - these boots are made for walking... lets just hope they stay in sight!

[120]

had to do a new thread as the old one just wasn't pleasing my computer!

So much chatter. Will catch up later. Some highlights though; after 20 minutes of running at a 10 minute mile pace your body starts to tap into fat stores for energy. Running is the best way to drop weight fast. In a month I dropped one dress size. Remember too, muscle weighs more than fat. I weigh 160 lbs. Never been able to sort the whole 'stone' thing. Yoga is a great counter balance for running. The better your core, the more efficiently your body uses stores for energy.

Something else; Love doing DIY! I'm a perfectionist too. The grass looks fantastic BTW. Now to finish the stone wall and stair.

Can't remember anything else because I've been away just long enough. SAHM's day is full of half done jobs because of the constant stream of new jobs that come flinging your way, sometimes literary. lol

Speaking of which...

Ooo pics chef? Of the stone and lawn, not the job being flung your way!

What will you do Moose? Taxi's?

DH sent to Sainsbury for emergency dinner. No food I want to eat in the house.

There are rumours our town will get an Asda! Don't like it much, but I could do with the cheap fruit and veg and clothing section.

I lost most weight ever running. Must try make that happen again. Right after the ready lasagne dh brings home

(but wear a kaftan as you are so skinny and fit )

I'm shortly going to post a recipe for strawberry salad. Yummy. Can't talk about how much I've eaten today. As soon as I go on a diet I start stuffing in any food that is in front of me. It's really weird as otherwise I'm not really bothered about chocolate or finishing the kids half congeled left overs.

I quite like Asda. They have a good ethnic ection and tend to put things that are similar together, unlike sainsbos, who used to be my favourite shop, but now drive me mad.

Thanks for the chair 120.

Tree, Have just remembered ds1 has chess club after school tomorrow - so should just be able to make it there and back if I/we get a leg on back from the other school. I need the exercise, but poor ds2 is going to be dead on his feet (and that isn't taking into account the heat). He was whingeing on earlier that he really doesn't want to go, so before I remembered chess club I had almost decided to keep him off.

Strawberry salad sounds yum. Might even get ds1 to eat a salad without complaining for a change. Strawberries are his number one favourite food.

Dd is still awake. She's been up since 7.45 am and hasn't napped, other than ten minutes in the car on the way to the hospital. I don't know how she is still going, but she sure ain't giving in.

Have read through again and think that Moose needs to come live near me. Plenty of se breezes and we could eat cake together

Great neaws about the ds's my lovely. Especially about non painfull blood taking.

I must make your brownies 120. Am I the only one who hasn't?

Dog - yes please to the falafel. Although the boxes are so cheap and sooooo good. Nice as burgers, with a slice of grilled haloumi and lots of salsa and humous On really sturdy granary bread
Wtha cold beer

So chef. Say you had a fat cyber friend who had zero muscle. How would you suggest they get into running? Start with walking fast? Or just dive in for a few mins at a time? Or not bother and just eat the burger above?

I'm really thinking of doing the budget needed and trying to reduce my hours. We might not work out a whole worse off, and the gp's are in their 70's fgs. There is only so much you can ask of people. And sleepovers, school runs,7am to 6pm etc is is hardly in there!

I would love to live near you Tree m'lovely.

Chef: Ditto Tree's question from my quarter.

We found that there was no point in me going back to work once we had two dcs. I would have brought home literally a couple of pounds a month, so it was a no brainer for us really.

We are nowhere near the 40k threshold, so hopefully our CT credits won't change too much. Although we are suspicious that the idiots have overpaid us again this year, so no doubt we'll get nothing again for several years while they claw that little lot back.

On a more positive note. We had our annual gas and electric statement through today and we have used significantly less gas than last year, despite the prolonged cold winter. I think it must be the new double glazing at the back of the house, especially our kitchen window, which is huge and let a lot of heat out before. As a result we are in credit by quite a chunk and our monthly payments have come down considerably.

So, at least its not all doom and gloom.

sorry had to do blog catch up quickly! Not posting on it as much as I should, but what's a girl to do?

I found the easiest way to start running again was to do interval training - 5 min walk - 1 min run - 1 min run fast - then repeat. Reduce the walking, up the running as you get fitter. Thing for me about running on my own is that I am very frightened of dogs, so don't like being in the park on my own and the streets aren't that nice to run on in London as you are permanently dodging people and cars. Sadly can't afford the gym anymore, but found treadmills a great way to get courage before heading out of doors too.

Sorry to hear about all the budget stuff going on. We have had to cut back in the last three years on stuff for us. Think I've spent a grand total of £400 on clothes for me since 2007, which is pretty good. DP has spent even less on him. Ditto stuff for the house. Kids clothes are all ebay (apart from gifts and donations) and nursery kept to 2 days a week (apart from when I was very preggers and needed some rest).

Really not easy having to economise with kids. Mine have a £3 a day fruit habit. Each.

oops, got carried away there. meant to say
strawberry salad recipe here, though moosey your boys might not like it as there is balsamic in it.

That's good about the bills Moose

We await our ctc envelope landing on the mat. Should be a joy. reckon we will get nothng, to needing to repay. I rang 3 times, and got 3 wildly different projections.

Oh well. Only money. Never had any anyway, so no difference really.

Must buy sandpit and other essentials before prices go up due to VAT Where can I use this?

Mmm sounds delicious 120, think ds1 might eat it though, I think he'd probably be ok with balsamic. Ds1 definitely wouldn't eat it though, he's going through a really picky stage.

Tree, how do you manage to keep coming up with such amazing (but expensive ) shopping websites? That wallpaper would be perfect for a whimsical nursery or childrens bathroom perhaps?

Love the pompom linen range and the elephant parade stuff.

dog, I'm ALWAYS glad for the dc's bedtime. tonight I let DP do DD. Just lay on our bed and said I'm sorry, I can't move! And not even preggers. Can't begin to imagine how knackered you must feel. HZ has positively disappeared for the last couple of months. Hopefully she'll be out of the woods shortly though.

They find me Moose.

Agree childs bathroom. I was thinking of doing onw wall of our one and only bathroom in it. I can't though, I mulled over the wall paper in there for eons. We only papered it about 6 months ago. I can't change it so soon.

Can't use it for playroom, I'm waitng for Belle and Boo to launch their wall stickers in about a moth. Unless they drop a total clanger, I'll be totally loving them for sure.

120 - I do that! Just lie there and dribble. DH just looks at me and cracks on with the house.

He just chortled and said when he got up at 5.20 my first mumbled words were 'I'm so tired'. Apparently my last mumbled words were 'I'm so tired'. I'm such a joy to be around

Dog, you are right. No starving here. My thighs would feed me for a month, like a camel's hump. Still though....consumerism....

H just took off her nappy, climbed out of bed and is currently heading downstairs.

I guess to show papa what she did?

You guys are flattering but honestly, I want to drop just one more dress size, (which really is just my chest and post preg belly that won't shift) but I'm afraid I'll need to get some ham rings for my boobs to roll em up in my bra. Thank goodness for Spanx!

When I started running again from scratch, I marked out one mile from my door and back from this website but I found a UK one here. Then I walked for two minutes, ran for 30 seconds and did that till I got home. Took about 20 minutes. I did three days a week and increased the running part by 30 seconds each time until I was running the whole mile without stopping. Then I started doing speed work where I started again by running 2 minutes and then 30 seconds at a faster pace, etc. Within two months I was running a 10 minute mile. That's where I'm at now and have started more speed work to get down to what is called Race Pace mile which apparently you are suppose to do in 8 minutes. I think that is for the professionals and for me its more about just me against me out there. I wouldn't worry too much about how you are doing but just that you are doing. 20 minutes out of the house, outside, regardless of the weather, is so liberating and mind calming. Even if I'm not up for a run, I'll go for a 20 minute fast walk by myself to unwind. Happy Mommy, Happy Family. It took me forever to get out there though. I struggle with motivation all the time because all I keep thinking about is all the things that need to be done. Then I check myself and remind myself that I can't be what I need to be for my family if I'm not healthy in mind and body and running seems to cover both for me. Try to remember when you were little and how much fun running was, the carefreeness of it. Hmm, I just smiled to myself. Hmm. OK, enough sappiness. lol

DD has a cough. Poor thing. Her little friend M had it bad and we were over there for lunch last week. Ah well, it happens. At least I have a really nice Portuguese wine, (oh ya, I said it) to finish my day off with. I was pleasantly surprised by it. It is $18 though... if it was just a $3-4 cheaper... Anyhow, this may sound funny at this stage in the game, but, what do I do to help her very sore throat. She actually had some peppermint tea today with me and liked it. When I have a sore throat, I usually have ginger/chilli/lemon tea. I'm really at a loss. I do have her drinking lots too.

120 Do you have any recipes for DOG thighs or a DOG rump roast? lol

Moose at your DS getting sorted and not having coeliacs. Even if it is just a sensitivity, at least its no where near as bad. Must feel good to get on with the next stage finally of getting him on track. I commend you for your patience and perseverance dealing with the medical personal.

Tree Thank goodness DD has not figured that out yet, or at least, has not thought of it yet. Now that I've said it out loud, I'm sure tomorrow morning I'll find her with her diaper off.

Night all and good morning. Its the hump of the week, so hope you all get humped. (OK, I don't know where that came from... I'm tired. Going to bed now).lol.

roast dog. hmm. I do have a couple of Korean cook books...

It's interesting the way you motivate yourself chef. I was doing the same while running. Whenever I had a negative thought about doing it/wobbly bits/dodgy running gear/people staring etc, I just thought 'I'm doing it for me, nobody else. This is just for me' and it really helped. Plus the way you feel when you get back is soo fantastic and lasts all day.

I second ginger for coughs. How about just putting a bit of honey (antiseptic &, soothing), a slice of ginger and a squeeze of lemon (vit C) into her peppermint tea?

morning

agree grr @ budget will affect us

Can you send me a nice man Chef so I can be humped

Moose - DD likes Dora, Peppa Pig etc. Usual girly stuff for her age

Wish i could go running, I like running but no childcare as I've moaned before. Its hot today, DD is downstairs with a neighbour having fun and I'm waiting for Mr man to wake up, he was miserable and is having a second nap today! Maybe he's sickening for something?

Tea I'll try and send you a good Canadian boy but not sure how customs will charge you for the extra baggage.

DD likes Toopey and Pinno, or how ever you spell it. Quite frankly, all the shows made in Quebec are annoying as hell. She still loves In the night garden, Waybaloo's and most definitely The Backyardigans, which I think is a great show. Same with Farzells World.

Off for run around the lake. Today is a hard motivation day because DH got up with DD because there was football on, England and Slovenia, so I got a bit of a lie and that's hard to give up. I am planning a nap with DD later. Planning...

Big Backyardigans fans in this house Chef. The boys love it. They occasionally settle in for a Wow Wow Wubbzy and Backyardigans session when they are particularly tired and need to just flop. But oh my word - don't ever let your dc's get into The Wiggles. It will seriously destroy your sanity! Fortunately the boys are now too old for them and dd will never know .... mwah ha ha!

Well, I have just walked around through the park, around the local village, done a Tesco shop and loaded in/around/on the pushchair, then walked to the senior school and collected ds2 and walked home again, run in the house, dumped the shopping and walked to the school to collect ds1 and I am officially KNACKERED! It is ridiculously hot out there today.

Somebody please tell me you burn more calories walking in the heat. I must at least have sweated something off - surely. [pleading emoticon]

AND I burned my nose in the process. Harrumph!

On the upside, I managed to walk past all the goodies in the supermarket without so much as a pang and bought only salad, fruit, zero-fat natural yoghurt, extra low-fat cottage cheese, wholemeal pittas and wholemeal wraps. So am feeling very virtuous about that.

Tea, Peppa Pig cakes along these lines would be simple to do but look impressive. You just need some pink sugarpaste (or you could even do it with buttercream) and then another slightly darker shade in a piping bag for the detail. Mouth, cheek and eyes can all be done with sugarpaste. Job done.

Is that the sort of thing you were thinking of are are you thinking a bit more complicated?

Literally hundreds of Peppa Pig cakes to get inspiration from on Flickr also tried searching on Dora and got these.

I love using Flickr for inspiration, there's always literally thousands of ideas.

I like this one Moose, but would need you to explain exactly how she did it. I know I could do it if someone explained. I do have a steady hand. But I've only done butter icing and a little piping for the eyes on the teletubbies.

I've also never made a Madeira cake. But I can cook, so I just need some tips.

Although this one is probably easier isn't it?

No link in the first one Tea so I can't see the one you mean.

The second one is easy peasy, but if you want to try something a bit more difficult, I'd be happy to try and talk you through it. Not sure how much help I'd be though.

Madeira cake is really easy, easier to get right than victoria sponge. Its basically just a chuck it all in and mix it up cake.