The rest of September 2008
Monday 15th September. It was great to have the new husband (TNH) home when the builders arrived this morning. He went to the builders merchants for materials for them and did some painting. He leaves again tomorrow (BOO HOO) but at least he's been home to see the massive transformation since he was last here.( I'm talking about to the house, not about my new look!)
The biggest change has been extending our kitchen to double the size by taking out the dividing wall. Anything you can do **Kirstie!! The dog keeps running up and down he loves the extra space.
** Kirstie Allsopp from location,location,location. I met her last January (2007), at a Charity boot sale in Battersea for Red nose day which was filmed for Car Booty. She absolutely insisted we'd met previously but much as I'd like to say I know her, I don't. She sold a rather nice lamp to a lady (she said was hers and it was expensive new) while I waited to buy some location,location,location DVD's (I'm so dull!) She and her partner Phil Spencer, also doing his bit for charity, signed them. It was a great Boot Sale- Jason Donovan with Mariella Frostrup, Charlie Dimmock and Alan Titchmarsh,Dick & Dom,Kim & Aggie and Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders all had stalls. Dawn was having a debate with Richard Curtis because she'd got a dozen DVD's on her stand that were production copies of the Comic Relief special prior to its release in March (pre-TV screening) so he made her withdraw it but she'd already sold a copy so he said it would probably be on youtube that night prior to it's TV debut. She didn't think anyone would realise and would have only genuinely bought it for themselves, then she made him pay the going price for the 11 copies she took off sale and did her comedic voice ' it's for the children'. I bought a Cleopatra dress in black and red velvet she'd worn playing Cher in a skit early in her career. It was far too small for me at that stage (so I was bigger than Dawn). I said I hoped to get into it someday- and the woman helping on the stand said to let them know if I did. Well that was nine stone ago. It feels great to realise something that once wouldn't go over my hips eventually zipped up and now is big and baggy. I might ask Kate (the dressmaker who made my wedding coat in velvet) to alter it to something sassy and useable to wear at Christmas. Back to the Comic Relief Boot sale I also bought a framed triple photo showing Dawn leaping into a puddle right over her head- really funny. She signed it to the new husband (TNH) for me as a camera appeared and filmed her handing it to me, imagine my surprise when it made the final clip shown on TV and lots of my friends called to say they'd spotted me. I heard French and Saunders alone raised over £6,000 from the event...wow that's worth getting up on a Sunday for. Memo to self to sort out stuff to sell.
Thursday 18th. Inspired by my cupcakes last Sunday Christine cooked some chocolate buns with orange chocolate icing today mmm I ate two. I'm a greedy girl. As I've blown todays diet I then ate a homemade burger in a bun because that's what my lodger made himself for supper so I copied (he kindly gave me the brown bap as I don't have bread in the house when TNH is not home).
Friday 19th Only a week to the next Nobles hospital weigh in , it's not going well. I still can't get to gym or pool in the week with the builders in my house all day and, as I bought off peak membership, I can't go weekends or evenings either.
Saturday 20th September. I went for a long walk with my dog even though he wasn't really up to it. The builder shouted you'll wear that bloody dog out as he saw me coming back down the street. We probably walked 5 miles but the poor thing is suffering with a painful hip. I'm tempted to give him an asprin but don't know if it's OK to.
Sunday 21st September
I watched the final round of the BTCC (Touring Card)on TV. It's where the new husband (TNH) is working today at Brand's Hatch Race Circuit. Saw my old friend Tim Harvey commentating on TV. He looks stouter than the last time I saw him when I worked in the BTCC (now over 10 years ago!!). We haven't seen each other for ages I should call him and ask who the chunky one is now- he used to comment if ever I was a few lbs too big for the team shirt. He's the sort of chap who only ever dated skinny women though so I've no respect for his opinion.... who has seen the film Shallow Hal? Mind you people in glass houses...he used to slim for the start of every race season so he was fully fit then gradually gain weight as the season went on (from indulging in all the hospitality no doubt) so he can talk! Back then I remember Jeremy Clarkson calling him Lardy Harvey but he gave as good verbal back to fellow race drivers..there was always friendly rivalry. When I was working for Tim's race team they asked me to get a cake celebrating his 100th BTCC race with them. It cost a fortune to replicate his racecar including all the sponsors decals. It was given pride of place in the team hospitality awning until his teammate Patrick Watts came in and said "Tim's car doesn't look like that". Tim had crashed in the morning qualifying and stoved in the front wing of his Peugeot. With one fist Patrick replicated the smash by thumping the entire corner of the beautiful cake....
Monday 22nd Sept.'08
I can't find slimfast hungershots in Shoprite ....I desperately stock up on heaps of fruit: peaches, bananas , grapes, a pineapple, plums, satsumas and strawberries.
Tuesday 23rd September.
Cereal. Walk. Work. Slimfast. Work. Soup. Work. Gym. Supper (pork fillet stirfry). I can't find slimfast hungershots in Tesco either, I was overcharged at Tesco by nearly £4 when I checked my receipt- furious!
Wednesday 24th. Cereal. Walk. Work. Slimfast. Work. Soup. Work. Gym. Sian's for supper:- 2 big fishcakes from Paddys market (islandseafood.com) with parsely sauce and fresh mixed vegetables and spinach then white chocolate fondue with strawberries mmmm I really like supper at Sians.
Thursday 25th. No time for Gym today. Went to evening weigh-in at Nobles hospital it's 4 weeks since the last one. Stupidly I drank a 500ml bottle of water on the way without thinking ah well too late. What's the damage? I have LOST 0.2kg since last weigh in Pathetic but the good thing is I've LOST 9cm off my waist measurement, amazing how did I do that? It has to be exercise (muscle weighs heavier than fat and all that)After the weigh in I took Tuesday's receipt back to Tesco customer services and got nearly £8 refunded (double the difference or something- I still feel if I hadn't checked I would've overpaid. Often in the past I have to admit I haven't checked but I always will now).
Friday 26th The new husband (TNH) has been away 10 days again already. He had a £4500 water bill for a brand new George Wimpey house he owns which is rented out, and I though our energy bills were high. We're insured for loss of metered water so the insurance company sent someone there today.
Cereal. Short walk. Work tuna in brine with green beans hardboiled egg and tomato salad with a light dressing & a pack of melba toasts and philadelphia lite. Work. 1hr in gym a banana and litre of water. Swim 30 mins, jacuzzi and sauna lovely. Cooked a whole small chicken shared one half with the dog and put the other half in the fridge for tomorrow. He (the dog) made me eat all the veg though- green beans, brocolli and sliced carrots in the steamer and a drop of shhhh chicken bisto and did I forget to mention a huge baked potato and a highlights choc mousse.Gym & swim makes me hungry.
Saturday 27th September.
End of the 59th week of my 'diet'. Had a call from a friend who had just ordered a new kitchen from MFI and paid for it by Debit card then in today's paper it says MFI are in financial difficulty so he's worried he may lose his money. I've got our kitchen units on order from B&Q for new extended kitchen...still start to worry.
Sunday 28th September.
Double slimfast chocolate shake - no Sunday Fry up for me. 40 minute walk with Dog to 'his favourite field'. Went to meet my wedding dress maker (sounds like I've died and gone to Bridal heaven). We went to see her mum's house which was completely empty and has just been renovated. She treated me to Lunch. I like leisurely days like this.
Monday 29th September.
Back to reality. The surveyor arrived at 8.45am this morning to look at the building works for us.
Tuesday 30th September. Two 'diet coke break' type boys arrived (you know what I mean) and spent the morning working on our old windows- we couldn't afford to replace them all so had remedial work done instead. Another month over and less than no money left at the end as usual.
Latest post added 29/10/2008
