The Wii Fit Board finally came out from under the cupboard!

In the run up to Christmas my Wii Fit got used every day when I got home from work and, while my weight and BMI weren't coming down any, my scores were improving and so, it was only a matter of time before the rest followed.

And then there was Christmas, and the Wii Fit was neatly put away under the sideboard for the duration of the festivities and it would seem our festivities have gone on a little longer than most.

And so, 2 Easter eggs heavier, I decided today was the day it would see daylight again. Whether it is the warmer weather meaning I cannot hide under big, baggy jumpers anymore, or whether it is the thought of walking for 4 hours round a golf course again and knowing I just wouldn't be able to do it, who knows but, whatever the reason, the board is back in use.

So, 30 minutes of exercise later I can see I need to practice more to get back to where I left off at Christmas. I have an extra 2 pounds to lose than before but my BMI is still the same.

All being well, I'll feel inclined for day 2 tomorrow after a full day in the office.

One of those lovely moments.

When we returned to the UK we had our Sky connected up but I refused to pay for the movies channel now we were able to go to the cinema if we wanted to see anything. But I love watching films, and many for a 2nd & 3rd time so I made a promise to myself that as and when I got permanent work, I would upgrade to include the film channels.

Well, this week, I have been told my job will become permanent at the end of my 13 weeks temp contract. So, on the strength of this, we now have all the film channels.

Now, that's not the lovely moment, although I was quite thrilled to finally be told I will have a pemanent job, but the lovely moment was courtesy of Brinkley.

Last night, we settled down to watch Marley & Me. I've not read the book, although I've read many similar stories and we were in Spain when the film was released so it was new to us. Brandy was fast asleep on the other settee but Brinkley was sitting with Neil & I. From the start of the film, Brinkley never took his eyes off the screen, his little head was tilting back and forth when Marley, as a pup, was whining while in his box in the garage, if Marley barked Brinkley barked with him, he seemed to really enjoy the scenes at the beach with all the other dogs and at the end, Brinkley just watched as Marley went to sleep. We know he watches tv, and he will often watch for a couple of minutes - but last night he seemed to watch the entire film.

Film over, Brinkley got down off the settee and curled up and went to sleep.

Thanks Brinkley, you are such a sweetie!

Tickets booked - count down begins!

I'm so excited, I've just booked our tickets for our day at the British Open this summer. And for those of you that don't know - that's Golf!

Last year we watched it on the TV and decided that now we are back in the UK, we could fulfill one of Neil's wish list - to take me to see The Open - live. He'd been taken on a corporate day a few years ago and didn't stop talking about it for weeks - and still refers back to it. He'd always said he would take me one day but our move to Spain put that way down the list of things we would do.

Last summer we decided we would go. I scoured the websites for over night accomodation, and of course, everywhere was booked up already or mega-bucks out of our price range ......

BUT.....

Travel Lodge hadn't released their on line booking that far ahead, after all it was last July that we were planning this and they only release booking dates for 12 months in advance. So, 2nd August I was online and booked our room - I have the email confirmation in a very safe place!

Last August you couldn't buy tickets for this years Open, they weren't on sale - so today, I have finally booked the tickets, booked the pups into kennels and all I need to do now is book the sunshine!

We chose to go on the Friday so that we get chance to see all our favourite golfers before they cut the field down for the weekend battle. Just incase some of our favourites don't make the cut. Then we can settle down infront of the TV at the weekend to watch the closing days.

America and Europe haven't played their qualifying dates yet, they are May & June respectfully, so we don't know who'll be playing on the day - but current players listed include our favourites - Tiger Woods for Neil - and of course, the home grown talent - Lee Westwood. However, it looks like Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, and one of my favourites Sergio Garcia still need to qualify, as they are not on the current players list.

So, we're on count down to July 15th!

Yes, we still love our golf!

Bird Song

 

I was woken this morning at 5.24am. For once, it wasn’t by one of the pups wanting to go out, it was by the intense noise of the birds waking one another up, telling each other what a calm, clear morning it is and that they should get up and do their chores early as it’s going to be another hot day.

As I walked downstairs to make a drink, I couldn’t believe how loud the noise from the was inside the house, I genuinely began to wonder if we’d gone to bed leaving the backdoor open – but we hadn’t – the birds really were that noisy.

So, coffee mug in hand, I’ve been sitting listening to the twittering for half an hour now and suddenly, the cacophony has stopped. Not a single bird is tweeting, it’s incredibly quiet.

Does this mean the birds have all gone off to do their food finding, nest building or whatever it is that birds do in the early morning daylight?

Or have they twittered so loudly they woken the local ginger Tom, who is now prowling around their locale!

Whatever the reason for the sudden silence, this morning’s early morning birdsong was spectacular to hear.

Now, I’m off back to bed again, after all, it’s Sunday – my one day for a lie-in.

 

 

 

New way to write in my Blog

Quite a few of my Blogger friends are experiencing problems writing in the Blogs and adding photos so someone has recommended using Windows Live Writer as an option.

And so this post is testing the set up of Windows Live Writer to see how it works and how easy it is to use.

 

And so far, setting it up, writing and adding a photo has been really simple. All I need to find out now is how to actually post it.

If you are reading this – you can assume I have been successful!

4 Days Glued to the TV

I've not made any plans for this weekend, the Masters is on from Augusta and I intend to watch as much of it as I can.

There are only 2 golf tournaments that have me fixed infront of the TV and this is one of them.

The other is the Ryder Cup and because of the dreadful weather in September I missed the final day's excitement as it ran over onto the Monday and I was working. Somehow, its not the same watching the highlights knowing who won.

So, as from now, I have 4 days watching some great golf from a great golf course and because it's from America, coverage doesn't start until after I get home from work and IF play runs over onto Monday, which is highly unlikely, I wouldn't miss it because of the time difference.

I will, of course, be shouting loudly for Lee Westwood to win - but I have several others that I like to watch - so, the dogs are fed and walked, the dinner is over and cleared up and the answer machine is turned on.

See you Monday!

Oh, so many pretty shoes - never to be worn!

I have had joint problems for many years now, some arthritic, some just wear and tear. Some I can live with, some I have changed activities to reduce the problem, some bring me to tears. But the one I struggle the most to cope with is the one that means I cannot wear pretty shoes anymore. The one that forces me to wear 'sensible shoes' all the time. The one that is causing me to 'rest' this weekend because I tried to outwit it - and it caught me out!

Temperatures have increased enough for me to leave my sensible winter shoes in the wardrobe and bring out my sensible summer shoes. In order to be pain free I have to have straps around my ankles and flat (or almost flat) heels. I cannot wear flip-flops, mules, heels........and it's not fair! I love heels, I love pretty shoes, I don't like sensible!

3 years ago I had a cortisone injection into my hip - it hurt like hell, but it's kept me painfree for 3 years. I remember the consultant told me it could last up to 3 years and I've had my full 3 years benefit - but it's finally run it's course.

I have some pretty shoes and sandals that I wear when I'm going out but not walking very far - maybe we're taking the car to a restaurant or to the cinema, I can get away with it providing I don't walk far or stand for very long.

So what in the world led me to think I could get away with wearing my wedged mules to work this week? What was in my head when I thought I could be on them all day, up and down stairs, walking through town to the bank, where was my 'sensible' head when my hip twinged on Thursday and I still didn't twig that this was a no-no?

By Friday I could hardly walk, I couldn't bear to take my weight on my hip, I was paying for 1 week of pretty shoes - how is that fair in this world?

And so, I'm back in sensible shoes, on tablets to take away the pain and inflammation, using my stick when I walk outside the door and regular sessions with the heat lamp.

I am fortunate that most of my pain is managable - as long as I remember to manage it! I am fortunate none of my problems are life-threatening but please.......

it's hard to walk past so many pairs of pretty shoes knowing I cannot wear them.

Sometimes, life seems very unfair!