Evening!

Hi again,
I haven't posted in a few days as I haven't really had anything to say - I still don't but I thought I'd write something anyway!
We are sat in the office (at home) watching Chris Moyles doing his 'longest ever radio show' it is being shown online and if you press the red button on the tv...whatever - we have it on the TV...and we keep wanting to turn it off and watch something else - but its quite addictive.  I love Chris Moyles...I know some people hate him - but not me!
So, I have been cycling to work and back and going to the gym in the evening and basically I think I burnt out.  I sat here last night aching and hurting everywhere and decided that there was no way I was going to cycle to work today.  I drove in, just about found a parking space and at the end of the day, I left work at about 5.02pm and I was home by 5.16pm!! That is sooo cool!!  Don't think I have ever worked so close to home - I'm loving it!
I have tomorrow off work - then I am in for 5 long days and then I have 15 days off!! woo hoo!

Lissa came to the gym with me tonight.  We did a 5 minute warm up on the cross trainer, then 20 minutes on the treadmill (2 minute comfortable run and one minute sprint (keep repeating) and it ends up just under 2 miles) Lissa did really well - slightly better than me actually...then we did 500 metres on the rower, followed by various weights and core exercises.  Just over an hour and 485 calories (according to my heart rate monitor) followed by a short spell in the steam room and a lovely hot shower!
Because Lissa is not used to it - I bet she will be in agony tomorrow! Whereas I'm sat here all achy but I'll be fine tomorrow - which is a good job as I have a PT session tomorrow afternoon - and I will probably go back again in the evening with Andy!!  I might give myself Friday off (although I'll be back to cycling to work!)  I really should have an amazing body! (I definitely don't however).

I have drawn up a rota for the twins so that they do proper jobs in the house - as they cost me so much money and have so much more spare time than we do.  I must admit it was really good coming home to swept floors, and a clean kitchen...if they keep it up it should make such a difference to us and I will be much more likely to help them out when they need money or favours and...stuff, rather than just feeling annoyed about working and slaving after everybody!

I still haven't made a decision about what I am going to do for my birthday - I keep making enquiries with different places but I'm scared to commit!! I end up full of doubts...should I do it? can I afford it? will it be okay? will people come? is the venue okay? would the food be okay?expensive? will people have somewhere to stay or be able to get home okay? would the music/disco be okay and will Andrew be okay doing it? can I get everyone there okay?  However, I need to make a decision soon!!  Maybe tomorrow I will make a decision!

anyway - I am gonna turn Chris Moyles off for a while and watch something before I go to bed...living life in the fast lane as usual!!

Goodnight!!

Laughed until I cried...

I heard a clip today on radio one of an Australian new reader with the hic-ups and I thought it was hilarious.  I was working at the time - driving actually - with the radio on.  I laughed so much that when I got back to the work I had to clean the mascara which had run under my eyes because the laughter made me cry so much!

Here is a link http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/8945900/newsreader-struck-by-hiccups-on-air/
 if the link doesn't work just google 'Australian news reader with the hic-ups'

I just played it for Andy and he just smiled at it and I cracked up all over again - I think it will always be funny however many times I listen to it.  Pls tell me if you find it funny or whether its just me....

I have calmed down from this morning now...I have the next 3 days off work!! yipee!!

GGgrrrrrrr ANGRY

I am so annoyed!!!
Last year when the twins were at school - I didn't appreciate how smooth things ran.  I moaned and prodded and got frustrated when they didn't take their GCSE's seriously enough (especially Connor) and had to remind them to do what little jobs they had to do and so forth....Connor messed up his GCSE's because Skating was too high on his priorities.  Lissa did really well and I was very proud of the hard work she had put in.
Now...they are at college and its pretty awful!! Its supposed to be a time where they are growing up and being more responsible...actually Connor has grown up a lot and is being more responsible but his life is fairly easy - the college course he is doing isn't too taxing and the rest of the time its SKATING, SKATING, SKATING he is obsessed!!
Lissa - already got thrown off one of her courses and I get letters on a weekly basis about the other courses she is doing - for not turning up or not handing work in.  She is costing me a fortune in travel...she always seems to have money left on her Oyster card however to travel at the weekends and today I get a letter from South West Trains saying that in February she was caught on a train having not paid (I PAID HOWEVER!!!!!) and now they want £50!!!!! I think it would have been £20 if she had told me and it had been paid by now - but now there is an admin fee too so its £50!!!

If anyone can think of a way that she can pay me back somehow I would be most grateful...

Old Friend...

Today I went to Ye Olde Londinium (London...der....) and met up with Elaine.

We haven't met up in 5-6 years but we grew up together and go wayyyyy back.

The picture shows us in Tunisia - where we went to celebrate our 30th birthday's (we both look like we are holding our pregnant stomach's but I think we were just holding the garment on...). Basically that was 10 years ago as it is Elaines 40th Birthday tomorrow!!! 40!!!! OMG I cant believe it! (she's obviously quite a bit older than me...well... 2 months)

We had lots to catch up on - too much for one afternoon really. When I was leaving to meet Elaine I was asked if I would be back in time to go to the gym and would I want to go to the gym. I said I probably would.

We met up (and she has not changed a bit - looked great actually for an old bird) and we went to a pizza place, and I was thinking...its okay, I'll find a healthy choice... I can still be good and not wreck my diet...we sat down and within about 2 minutes the waitress came over and asked if we wanted a drink and Elaine, without much hesitation said - I'll have a Cosmopolitan! that is exactly how long it took for my good intentions to disappear! I had a Long Island Iced tea...then a couple of Mia Tai's...then a big pizza...oh and some giant olives too! Hey ho - Never mind, I had a good excuse!

What I enjoyed was how it was so easy to just fall into our old selves and feel as though no time had passed...and have so much to talk about...and laugh like old times. It was nice, and we're gonna do it again sometime soon!

I ended up journeying back in rush hour...so I had to make the shape of the tube doors and tell myself that oxygen was only a few stops away...then the train was so full I ended up standing up most of the way home too. Andy picked me up and the plan was to go to Tesco and grab something quick for dinner and then rush off to the gym...yeah...that didn't happen! We have just eaten a curry too (not take-out)...so a baaaaad undisciplined day...

However, today was weigh-in day so I did that before I left for London - so I have a week to undo the damage of today!

Last week, mainly because I was cycling to work and back as well as going to the gym I did 8 hours of physical exercise, burning 4000 calories! I lost one and a half pounds...every little bit helps!

I think I am up to about 9 lbs loss now...only 1 stone 2lb to go!!

Back to work tomorrow...on lates so at least I get a bit of a lay-in, or is it lie-in? ;-)

Leaving drinks...

Hello!!

Yesterday was my 'leaving drinks' with my team in Guildford. It seemed like major stress organising getting there and having somewhere to keep the car and organising where we were going to stay etc. Luckily Yvonne and Stuart helped us out and let us stay at theirs afterwards (Yvonne drove - and drove us back to our car in Guildford this morning...and made breakfast!) so a huge thanks to them!

I was worried that I would be really late, coming from Staines to Guildford at rush hour but it all worked out fine! Doug, Dickie, Joe and Andy (my old team) were all there which was brilliant! and Yvonne and Stuart were there too, and obviously my lovely much slimmer looking husband was there too - so all in all I was very happy!

I got leaving gifts! Apparently Doug and Joe went to get the gifts - I got a creepy looking human finger pen! lol a tub of chocolate sauce from Hotel Chocolat, a water bottle (I can use at the gym) which is also a water filter, which is cool...and a Miss Chatterbox mug! lol. So very cool, thoughtful gifts - I have no idea why they bought me the mug though :-D

It was nice to catch up and have a laugh with the team...I do miss them and the way we all know each other and can take the mickey with each other and stuff...

(my)Andy got on really well with Doug, which doesn't surprise me as Doug is such a lovely nice guy! The both have a lot in common too - being quite geeky when it comes to music and other geeky stuff they were chatting about! Stuart also seemed to get on well with Doug too...to be honest everybody get on with everybody and all was hunky dorey and I had a good laugh and thoroughly enjoyed the night!

The group picture above is me (looking a bit weird) with the team and our Sarge. In the picture from left to right is:

Andy, Joe, me, Dickie (brewing up for the first time ever hence the photo) Colin, and Doug. The other picture is Doug last night! I was grateful to Doug last night because I think he got into trouble with his wife for coming out - and he stayed out quite late too (they have 2 small kids and his wife was supposed to be going to pilates!)

About 10.30pm me and (my) Andy went back with Yvonne and Stuart to their neck of the woods and went to an Indian Restaurant and we basically wrecked our diet with onion bhargi's, chicken curry, naan and obviously alcohol! When we went back to Yvonne's I fell asleep! lol...it was that lovely I'm-really-tired-and-comfy-couch-sleep... I think we went to bed about half one so for us it was quite a sensible night!

In the morning Yvonne made me beans and scrambled egg and mushrooms on toast! YUMMY!

However, I have added up my calories for today (I wrote yesterday off) and I HAVE to go to the gym if I want to eat tonight!

I am sat here writing this basically because I am putting off going to the gym...avoidance techniques...

I might run to the gym... the more calories I burn the more I can eat and drink later and I fancy a glass of red wine! Oh well better get my butt into gear!

Why I write a blog...

I like writing a blog. I get to record little snippets of my life, what I am doing, how I feel about it, sometime I write about where I want to be or what I want to achieve. I write about what other members of my family are doing, or my friends or even my pets! I can complain or laugh or just waffle...

I don't expect people to read what I write...the main reason I write this is so that in the future - near future or otherwise, I can read back and remind myself of those little mundane things I would otherwise forget about, or the laughs that I might have or the issues I sometimes have to deal with. If people do want to read it - then cool, that's fine - and its nice when people email me and comment or agree or disagree and so forth.

However, it does bother me a little bit when I get asked or questioned about why I write this when I don't have really interesting things to talk about unlike the rich or famous or explorers or astronauts or...errr other people that you might think would be really interesting! I don't think I have to lead a massively exciting life in order to have things to talk about! Personally I would love it if all my friends and family wrote something like this - I would love to have an almost daily insight into my brothers and sisters lives... or my parents - or whoever! Especially when they live far away and I cant or don't have that daily interaction that I would like to have. I like to read random people's blogs - like a women who lives in Canada and works in a cafe and has 4 kids....you wouldn't think that is massively exciting but its interesting to see how other people live, and how they think, how they interact, and how their life compares to mine...

So...its up to you if you want to read what I write...just don't criticise or mock me for it...I don't claim to be interesting, I don't claim to be a brilliant writer either, to be humorous or clever. Its just me sticking words together, and keeping them and letting other people who might want to read it...read it.

If this sounds like I am having a huge rant then let me clarify...I am not having a rant, I was a little miffed at being judged but I am glad to have been made to think and answer questions as to why I write this...so this is me thinking about it...explaining why and quite enjoying analysing the reasons! Its been fun! ;-)

I'm at home!

Today I was on my first early shift at Staines. I thought I had my timings right but I didn't really leave enough time. I got to work and to my locker with 10 minutes to cool down, get a wash and get changed and throw a touch of make-up on and get to my desk. A rush, but possible.

I got to my locker, grabbed my dress/suit and hung it on the outside of the locker...grabbed my bag with tights and make-up stuff in it and ran around the corner to the disabled loo. I stripped quickly so I could cool down - had a bit of a wash - put my tights and shoes on (leave my dress until last so I can continue to cool down) and then I came to put my dress on and realised it was still hanging up near my locker!

So...I had a dilemma. I had 2 minutes until I was supposed to be at my desk. I could put all my sweaty cycling clothes back on and run back out...or somehow not...do...that. So - I put my waterproof coat back on which just about covered my butt and grabbed all my other stuff (in case somebody came to the loo before I got back) I stuck my head out and could see nobody along the corridor...so I hurried around the corner looking very weird - in tights and a coat and shoes...into the....empty (phew) kitchen and grabbed my dress and ran back again and I think I did that without being seen!! I am amazed because it would have been my luck to bump into my boss - or his boss!

I still didn't get to my desk on time but Tuesdays are apparently very busy because all the rota's are in. It was a training day (without any training) and at 12 noon when the late shift started I was told I could take a long lunch and then go home!! Ha! In Guildford we never, ever, got told we could even leave 10 minutes early! But...I suppose ... everybody seems to work much harder in Staines too.

So...its 14:13 and I am back home! Pretty knackered after cycling back...but going to the gym later! which will mean I'll have about 700 extra calories today, and as I am off tomorrow - I might go to the pub for a bit later!!

I am trying not to be disappointed at losing no weight this week...I lost like 3 lb part way through the week and somehow it went back up again...? Never mind, I'm hopeful it will come off next week instead!

I have a day off tomorrow! woo hoo!! I suppose I'll be cleaning, shopping and gym-ing though!

bye for now!!