31 December 2012

New Year



Some New Year Wisdom from Author Neil Gaiman:


May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.


...I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.

And for this year, my wish for each of us is small and very simple.
 

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.

17 December 2012

Catching up again....

I wrote this post on Inspiration in April! my god, this year has gone fast, but also pretty well: I feel hopeful and excited for 2013, but I am also very aware I am failing at these goals that have been hanging around for some time now! Goal 22.Weigh 9.7 Stone, Goal 18. Get a job working with animals.

Now, I was delighted to receive a bonus at work today and I want to be sure to put it to the best possible use, so 2013 will see me:

1) Starting crossfit: I'll be doing a introductory month to see how it all goes!
2) Taking this animal care course that I said I would do for the last 2 years! :P

So come April 2013: I may not have completely got everything sorted, but I WILL be closer than I am today, which a nice hopeful thought for the new year!


Merry Christmas to you all and all my best wishes for a happy new year!





XXX

14 December 2012

Catch-Up

Darlings! whats this? 3 weeks since my last post? how shameful!

Let me catch you up
1) Stockholm was Divine: gently snowing throughout our visit and full of cosy cafes, interesting museums and beautiful scenery: Urban and natural.






2) Goals achieved:
38: Go to a Christmas market outside of the UK
Goals discarded:
27: To have a Christmas tree decorated entirely with food: candy canes, pomanders, gingerbread men.
I have a hilariously mismatched pink tree covered in decorations made by my Friends, bought on my travels: its not a beautifully matched theme- but I love it! here is me and a group of my favourite people in my little flat for Xmas drinks. (the lovely 'Eleni Drinks Tea' is taking the picture)




3)  I was proud to be maid of honour at my wonderful friend Crystals wedding in November. It was a wonderful day full of lovely memories :) (I would also like to note that I was in charge of everyones hair and make-up, it was exhausting but fab to make all the girls look beautiful )



XXX

27 November 2012

Adjö

Darlings,

A few treats coming my way! : I'm off to Stockholm tomorrow, and in line with my goal this post have bagged myself a date next Saturday. He's Tall, Dark and Handsome: so fingers crossed he's nice too!

Before I leave you for Sweden I wanted to share this lovely post on how to Be Kind to Yourself which features some great little tips in finding a little joy each day.




XXX

22 November 2012

Smashing Number 31....

Goal number 31: get my picture in Bath Life Society pages.

First achieved Here in April this year and now..... tah dah! this is me, Mel from the Bath WI and, for some reason, Jamie Cullums' mum, at the Highgrove shop in Bath.

She was introduced to me as 'Jamies mum' I had no idea who they meant, its only now I see her surname that I twigged!

My sister blog Sarahs what Socialise reviews the Highgrove event in more detail.




Happy Socialising!

XXX

13 November 2012

On Being Single

Darlings,

Very recently this article was published by the BBC about being single, suggesting that couples are often mean to singletons, as the writer has experienced. This is not something I've noticed as all my coupled friends are absolute darlings, and I love hanging out with them. However it seems to a sparked quite an uproar and there are some very interesting 'Single Stories' now on the website in response.

I thought I would show you a few of the more impassioned ones!

I currently live in China and the first thing people usually ask me is if I am married. I am not married and already 30 years old - something that is hard to understand in Chinese society. Thus, I agree, whether it is Western or Asian culture, being single is seen as odd and that is totally wrong. But I think the truth is that most single people are not happy about being single. It may sound trivial to say "all you need is love" . It's not to feel complete, not to meet family's expectations, not to kill the loneliness. We human beings need others to be truly happy. Hanna, China

After spending most of my life being married to various people, I find being single like a breath of fresh air. No, actually it is more like being released into Paris in springtime after being chained up in the Bastille for a few hundred years or so. So we are not supposed to be alone, are we, you cosy and smug little lovebirds? Well I pity you, and I am so glad I am not like you. I don't have to be part of a double act all the time. I say what I think instead of the sickening "We like x, don't we Sweetie?'', with the mandatory affirmation. Shudder. I do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and how I want to do it. If I want company, I go out and get it. If I want to slam the door on the outside world, watch any old TV I like, eat pizza, drink beer, and just chill out - hey, what's to stop me? And when I see those poor little men rushing around pandering to their "better halves" and scampering home by curfew, then like James Brown, oooo, I feel goooood! By the way, I can already see you lovely couples reading this. And she says "We wouldn't like to be single again, would we darling?" "Of course not, dear." John, Brisbane, Australia

I am a spinster. I earn my living and will live and die as my own mistress. I am not single as single denotes available and seeking someone. I choose to be a spinster- meaning I live alone and I am not seeking a partner. I am not gay. I have had long term heterosexual relationships. I have always wanted to live as my own mistress. I neither desire man, woman nor beast. I came into this world alone and I will depart alone - so why should I be afraid of my own shadow? I have always described myself as a spinster because like those unsung heroines of old women such as myself are derided, ostracised, feared (that you are so desperate you are artfully scheming to snatch their partners from them), pitied and above all have to earn their living. Yes I do need the company of others to evolve but not the singular companionship of a partner. No I am not a misanthrope. I am simply a confirmed spinster. Rosie, London

I am 33 years of age, although still young in some people's eyes. I am happily single amongst the majority of my friends, whom if not in a settled relationship already, then the current direction of the relationship they are in is going in that manner. But those who are not in any form of relationship all seem to be chasing this ideal of being part of a couple. But I am sorry, that is not my aim in life. I am perfectly happy to be single. It is uncomplicated. I don't have to appease anyone else other than my dog. I am free to do whatever I want and when I want. I'm responsible for my everyday living, my luxuries in life, my way of living and my own happiness. I think nowadays there is too much expectation on being part of a couple. Why should I chase that? I was born as an individual and encouraged as I grew up to think for myself. So I certainly don't think I am missing out in anything. I say to all my friends, I love being single and can never see a time I will think any different. Arlene, Glasgow

I am a 50-year-old, childless spinster. I nearly married a couple of times and fell deeply in love with a third, but it wasn't to be. The gift of personal freedom is a rare and beautiful thing, we just don't know how to use it. Once you do it really changes the way people look at you- they don't feel sorry for you because you are spending Christmas on your own, because you're not, you're spending it in Bali on a spa retreat and come back in the New Year lithe and rested. Secondly, never look at a couple and assume they are having a better time than you. Don't be jealous of someone else's life - you don't know they may be having lousy time behind closed doors. You can be isolated and lonely in a relationship - at least if you wake up on your own you are free to do something about it. No one is more surprised than me that not only after a few years I began to find the single life seductive. It is possible to be single and have a really nice life. Sarah, Perth, Australia

XXX

9 November 2012

Friday Fun


Good afternoon Darlings,

Temporary:Secretary has presented a delightfully fun thing to do to distract me from work on this frosty friday: an outfit wish list from http://glamorousuk.com/

The point? you can win £200 to spend at said boutique hooray! here is my little compilation from the goodies on offer at Glamorous:





XXX

8 November 2012

Pride comes before...

You'll remember I was dead chuffed to have found a little holiday flat to let via AirBnB for my impending trip to Stockholm.

Well a word of warning dears, The owner cancelled our booking yesterday: a mere 3 weeks before we set off! He was very apologetic but at such short notice I was a tad alarmed that I wouldn't be able to find a decent replacement and we'd end up in a hostel. Luckily, Expedia to the rescue: The Adlon Hotel was holding a 40% off sale: what luck! so we got a mini suite and B+B for the same price as our AirBnB studio flat.

So this is both a reassuring story of serendipity and things working out but also a cautionary tale: I had no idea our booking could be cancelled at such a late stage.

Lets have some piccies shall we?!
Our new Hotel:



And a pretty travel poster


XXX



Visuals .2

Darlings, In my quest to me-ify my little flat I bought these gorgeous Posters for my abode. Now I really didn't need more but I could not resist these glamorous gals:

You'll recognise this one from my Paris in Springtime post:


and two lovely Mavis posters: They did such lovely adverts, irresistible in fact!!






XXX

4 November 2012

Reading List

I love to be completely impulsive about buying my books: wandering into one of Baths wonderful book shops* and allowing myself £20 to spend on any book that takes my fancy is a favoured pastime of mine.

I'd had my eye on 'The Fishing Fleet' for some time and I've now made a start and am already delighted with some gorgeous photos and great tales of the adventures of young Victorian women making the 3 month journey by boat in order to bag themselves a good English husband out in exotic India.

And The Vanishing Act: literally caught my eye just as I was leaving the shop: it was the lovely cover that drew me in but as it was shortlisted for the commonwealth book prize I figured it was worth taking home. Also the wintry feeling of the cover and summary made me think of snuggling by a fire sheltering from the snow outside ** as good a reason as any! here's the shpeal:  

                                                   

"On a small snow-covered island—so tiny that it can't be found on any map—lives twelve-year-old Minou, her philosopher Papa (a descendent of Descartes), Boxman the magician, and a clever dog called No-Name. A year earlier Minou's mother left the house wearing her best shoes and carrying a large black umbrella. She never returned.
One morning Minou finds a dead boy washed up on the beach. Her father decides to lay him in the room that once belonged to her mother. Can her mother's disappearance be explained by the boy? Will Boxman be able to help find her? Minou, unwilling to accept her mother's death, attempts to find the truth through Descartes' philosophy. Over the course of her investigation Minou will discover the truth about loss and love, a truth that The Vanishing Act conveys in a voice that is uniquely enchanting."



* Today I went for Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights


** It snowed this morning in Bath


xxx

31 October 2012

I do love a good Soiree...

Darlings just a quick plug for a new joint venture blog between myself and another Lovely Sarah that I was lucky enough to meet through Eleni

Its a Social diary of our exploits in Bath and Sarah wrote up our first post yesterday
http://sarahswhatsocialise1.blogspot.co.uk/

Do have a look All!



XXX

30 October 2012

Weighty Issues

I don't think I could write a solely weight loss based blog - for One I don't do enough of it! and Two I think I would find it boring to write, and boring to read for that matter how often I swing back and forth: and never seem to get to my goal!

I just gave up for a while basically, but after a week reintroduction I'm back on the 10st 9lb (Jesus, July?! where did that time go?) of this post. So lets go from here, lets get this 9lbs out of the weigh (hah, delightful pun!) and then its just a few meagre pounds to get well and truly under that 10st mark.

My body seems to respond pretty well to diet and exercise, so just as I put on weight very quickly (and can't get away with sneaky bags of kettle chips) I seem to be able to lose it reasonably swiftly as well. Which is A) A tad annoying that I could have probably had a rockin' body for the past two years but don't cos I'm lazy but B) Comforting that I will soon be able to pull myself out of this 'my clothes don't fit' situation (IF I find the motiviation)

The one thing I have learnt is that I cant just switch off for a few weeks and come back to it, it has to be a continual thing. Much like life I suppose: I have to make conscious decision everyday or everything goes very quickly bad! I can't just eat crap and hope my body wont notice/alter: evidently everything I put into my body makes a difference.

Obvious really! but I'm sure I could get away with it once, not now!

xxx


As a PS and as I think a pretty good tip: Im going to employ this little motivational system: buttons of how many pounds I have to lose/have lost

XXX

26 October 2012

Resolutions

I always feel January 1st is a crummy time to make resolutions: its dark and cold - the warm glow of Christmas is fading fast - I am not in the mood to be a better person but simply to quietly hoover up the last of the festive snacks and keep warm.

However now I have just had my 29th Birthday I think this year is going to have to be one of positive actions/resolutions: I'd like to go into my thirties with a feeling that I have achieved a lot in my first 30 years and positive about the next 30.

So my 'Before I hit 30' list (in addition/conjuntion to my goal list):
1) Find a job more suited to my skills see (Goal .18)
2) Weigh at most: 10 stone (Goal .22) God, I've been going on about this one for ages! and getting there at a snails pace, 10st isn't even my final goal. But if I am 10 stone at 30 - I'm happy with that.
3) Save £20,000 - This will be a tad controversial/and perhaps a bit of a pipe dream - and will invlove me continuing to not own a car. But I think if I have this amount in the bank and locked away in an ISA when I hit 30 I'll be set for ONE DAY achieving that property owning goal or at the very least - ready for that 3 month drive around the states (Goal 14). The main problem here is that I'm not even half way there yet. I will have to do some serious saving - but I think it will be worth it :)
4) Go on a date: god, is this one a bit sad?! it has been several years now since I have been on a date, and frankly I can't say I have any desire to go on one - but so that I at least make an effort to avoid being a spinster forever (which, by the way I find quite appealing on the right days) and in the interest of keeping 'in the game' I will aim to at least go on a few dates.
5) Book a yoga retreat: its my idea that I could go to Vegas for a few days with my buddies for my birthday and then go to a retreat for a few days (as I don't think any of my friends are retreat types) - look at some of my current favourites:

http://sagradawellness.com/retreat-center/index.shtml
http://www.sedonamagoretreat.org/

Plus a new one for the big list!
52. Stay At Burgh Island Hotel http://www.burghisland.com/about_us_1.html how did this not make the first list?! this is an art deco dream that I was reminded of when I told a friend about it. It is mega bucks but oh so amazing - maybe for my 40th birthday?! :P

xxx

3 October 2012

29

Not a goal, but the age I am going to be this month! 29, Single, don't own property or a car or even a pet! still not in my dream job....but actually, I'm not sure I care too much, not today anyway. I'll get there in my own sweet time!

Here are some other 29 year olds who are doing pretty well....





XXX

22 September 2012

Cafe Review

Hello Darlings,
I don't usually do reviews, but after a gloriously sunny day meandering around Bristol I just wanted to post a little "big up" to the lovely Spicer&Cole  cafe, I whiled away a happy hour sipping a yummy iced mocha and a light and crispy chocolate pastry that knocks the socks off of anything I've had at costa coffee:



XXX Happy weekend All!

17 September 2012

September Update

My gosh, how things have changed since this update:
http://strawberryfieldsbath.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/february-update.html

Lets see how I've been doing on my goals in the 6 months since then:

The Ones done

4.Go on a yoga Retreat: this year I combined my Boston trip with daily yoga. I would still like to go on a 'proper' retreat one day. I thought for my 31st birthday perhaps.
http://strawberryfieldsbath.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/home.html

9.Get a job related to animals: Still not there yet, I am waiting on a response from the dream job interview though. So fingers still crossed!!
http://strawberryfieldsbath.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/goal-18-interview.html

17.Travel to another Country by train: Done http://strawberryfieldsbath.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/petite-paris-diary.html

26.Make £100 selling old clothes on Ebay: Done

41. Never stop having adventures
I can now add Amsterdam to this list for 2012 after an impromptu invite from another Sarah :) we are planning much cycling, meandering, shopping and boat cruising!


The Ones Not Done

39.To not buy any clothes for 1 year (01/01/12 to 01/01/13)
This I have not done, I would say I have bought at least 10 items this year. But I feel it has made me more careful about buying clothes, and combined with selling old ones on ebay. I feel a lesson in thrift/sensible buying has been learnt!

I didn't achieve my Marathon running idea, I must admit it was pretty foolhardy. But more importantly I got very drunk twice in this week and spent a fair few hours recovering! I think I shall write this one off as an ill-advised goal http://strawberryfieldsbath.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/1-week-goal.html

51. Enter a photography competition Now here's one I let slip by 'enter a Photography Competition' but one I wish to remedy so I will be listing it as a goal for next year.

The ones I'm going to do Soon

27. To have a Christmas tree decorated entirely with food: candy canes, pomanders, gingerbread men. This is one I have no excuse not to do this year, So my plan is thus: get it done before I set off for Stockolm on November 28th: so its done for my return in December.

38. Go to a Christmas market outside of the UK Stockholm in November: Sorted!
45. Visit Chicago and find a speakeasy May 2013
29. To have my 30th Birthday in Las Vegas October 2013

XXX

7 September 2012

Goal 25. Make £100 on Ebay

It's nice to achieve a goal before I end my week!
http://strawberryfieldsbath.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/goal-26-make-100-on-ebay.html

To my running toal of £62.50 I can add at least £43 for a lovely Ted Baker pencil dress I bought 2 years ago and have never fitted into, this money can go towards my spending money for Stockholm. Lovely!

Total: £105:50 :) Goal achieved!

XXX

30 August 2012

Goal 41.

At the beginning of the year I was very exciting about these 3 trips:

http://strawberryfieldsbath.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/41-never-stop-having-adventures.html

Which are now sadly, all over, but were all glorious. So now, in the true spirit of Goal 41. is time to plan more! My progress is pretty good!

November 2012: Stockholm
2013: Chicago + Las Vegas





Now, Stockholm has been booked so can officially get excited about it :) This adventure spark started last Monday when, bored at work I decided I wanted to plan something festive for Christmas (and after reading the Millennium trilogy, I am more than a little obsessed with Sweden!) and within a week I'd roped in my pal Mary-anne and booked it! yay for spontaneity!

We'll be flying from London Heathrows wizzy terminal 5, yes, I know its been around for quite some time but it will be my first visit! Me and Co-Adventurer Mary-Anne will be staying in this swoonsome little pad:


This was made possible by this cool site www.airbnb.com go check it out! It's essentially people renting out their spare rooms/flats/houses for travellers and much cheaper than staying in a hotel, and as you'll see there are some awesome places!

XXX

20 August 2012

1 Week Goal


I am lucky enough to be training alongside the Paralympians at the University's sports training village this week, the University of Bath is hosting these athletes for the Paralympics up to the 28th August.

So they're there in the gym looking awesome and professional in their team GB kit, and I'm on the treadmill wheezing away like an asthmatic tomato. However, In honour of this pretty cool event, my goal this week is to run/walk a marathon: that’s 42k.

Not all at once you understand! I am the world’s crappy-ist runner (see reference to tomato above). So this will be a culmination of my week’s workout, and will be quite an achievement. I shall log my progress below!

Sarah's Marathon
Monday: 5k in 40 minutes on the treadmill (I am one slowww tomato). Remaining: 37
Tuesday: 5.5k in 43 minutes treadmill Remaining 31.5
Wednesday: 2 k walking - day of rest! remaining 29.5
Thursday: Aim- 10k in 1 hr
Friday: Aim - 10k in 1 hr Remaining 9.5k
Saturday: Aim - 3k remaining 6.5
Sunday: Aim 6.5k in 45 minutes

XXX

6 August 2012

No.18!!

I am currently dancing around my office like Ms Baker here:


Its not quite THE good news I've been waiting on, but its definitely exciting news! I had a phone call today after last weeks interview to say I was very high on the list and also we went over more of the conservation work I would be doing: BE STILL MY BEATING HEART!! Projects this foundation currently deal with: Gorilla orphanage in the Congo, Turtle breeding in Mozambique, animal rescue projects in Thailand and Indonesia, and veterinary care of captive animal in UK zoos.

And I really liked this, my inteviewer said he admired my courage for potentially taking all this on: what a lovely thing to say!

I've been told to expect an email in the next 2 weeks aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

XXX

5 August 2012

No.5 Reboot

It's Sunday night and I am having a celebratory cup of Earl Grey as I have, in my humble opinion, completely surpassed my former efforts of goal no.5 to Make cushions!

I found this gorgeous material in one of my favourite fabric shops in Bath, it was clearly a case of fate; I wandered in with the vague intention of finding some fabric to cover my very boring Ikea cushions and this lovely floral fabric caught my eye.

I did the basic envelope method of making the covers so I can wash them if need be, 3 covers later and Voila! One very pleased me and 3 very smart new cushions!

Here's a close up of the fabric, with the overlapping seam:

 And here is one of my newly covered cushions on the sofa next to the uncovered Ikea cushion :)

Thus concludes this very quick crafty Sunday post!

XXX

27 July 2012

Goal 18. Interview



I like to keep everyone up to date on my interviews for awesome animal-ness jobs, at the very least it reminds me to keep trying, keeping plugging away! This one tho, guys, this one..... first off, its in Surrey which is a bit of a bummer as I would happily stay in Bath forever (uh ooh, what happened to my wanderlust?! am I *gulp* becoming settled!?)

Anyways this job is to PA for a very notable Zoologist helping with all manner of exciting conservation projects in Africa: Potential for exciting travel; check. Making a difference; check. potential bonkersness: check (The previous PA noted she was just as likley in any one day to be feeding monkeys, taking minutes or organising a last minute dinner for 10 with a pianist)

I feel like this is the job I was meant to do: like everything I've done up to this point will all be completely worth it if I get this job; a perfect combination of what I love (Animals and adventure) and the job I fell into after graduation but as it turns out am pretty good at (PA-ing)

My interview is on Tuesday. I shall keep you posted!!!

XXX

18 July 2012

You can Change or stay the Same

“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”

― F. Scott Fitzgerald

I've posted this quote before, but it seems so very relevant to my life right now I'm going to put it up again!
I am finding it increasingly troublesome to focus on my work of late. Not least because I have little to no passion for it. Lovely Eleni is being very brave (I'm so proud of her) and taking on new challenges to advance her career, and it feels everyone around me is striving at least in the right direction of their dreams. I think I lost my dreams a good few years back now, and have been unable to reestablish what I want or where I want to be. Probably why I set goals, I imagine, to help me feel like I have a direction, a purpose.

And in some small senses I am working to become the person I want to be: I am thinner and fitter than I was a month ago, more single than I was 2.5 month ago :P that's a good start, and I have vowed to put my payday money straight into an animal care course - because I am sure animals are in my future career, even if the rest is wildly fuzzy. So this is really just a little declaration to myself I suppose, to keep going steady, keep striving to be the person I want to be, and to be proud of the life I lead.

XXX

16 July 2012

Visuals

I have had a simply lovely morning picking posters for my new abode. Very tricky, as we know I find just about every artistic style interesting: but I am particularly fond of Art deco and Art Nouveau so I've gone with these 3, quite different beauties:





All Beautiful, Colourful and fun, how apt for my new life!
XXX

3 July 2012

Goal 22. Update























10st 9lbs, Yay!
I am just over a 1 stone away from my goal weight :)

XXX

29 June 2012

Future Me



I don't know if any of you guys have heard of this website http://www.futureme.org/ which is a very simple premise that you send an email to yourself to be delivered at any point in the future that you specify (5 years time, 50 years’ time, 5 days’ time)

It has been uncannily good at raising my spirits of late. The first email I sent to my 'future self' was the end of last year, knowing full well my relationship was a disaster but lacking the bravery to sort it out I sent this to myself for this year, and promptly completely forgot about it, then a week after me and the Boy broke up and I was panicking that I'd made a huge mistake... up pops this message. How well I predicted exactly when I would need to hear it:

Dear FutureMe,
You are so brave!! You knew he wasn't the right man for you. Yes it was warm and comfortable, but you were right to leave. He was bitter, and cruel, and a bully, you did the right thing. I know you didn’t really want to do it because you liked the flat and it was nice to have someone to watch telly with.
Now think of how much better things are:
You're saving money, you're eating healthier (most of the time :P) your free to go wherever and whenever you please. You don’t ever have to spend Christmas doing things you don’t want to do.
Even if you feel dark and lonely right now.
Trust me
You did the right thing, (now go organise a cup of tea and cake with Eleni and Mary-Anne)

xxx

Then today I got this one (which I was prompted to write after the first one arrived):

Dear FutureMe,
Well gosh didn't that last letter come at exactly the right time?! You've done it you are single

Now that you have all your stuff in the flat it's time to start kicking ass, after all you blamed being in the relationship for being fat, miserable and not achieving all you could. No excuses now!

So here are some things you HAVE to start doing now you've had time to regroup and rest:
1) Go running twice a week, doesn't have to be that far do the route round walcot street and down over Pultney bridge - this is in addition to going to the 4 times a week at work
2) Pick a date for your housewarming tea party

3) Buy the animal care course: it’s the cost of a month’s rent, so you can spare it, it'll be interesting and it'll be nice to achieve something.
4) Get the internet: go with Orange they seem nice (and its vital for number 3!)
5) If you haven't already go buy a bookcase, shoe rack, a sideboard, a chair, and maybe a rug? make this place your own!


Its Friday today, so go have a wicked weekend, achieve lots! have fun!
Lots and lots of Love, stop pining for Cambridge Place, it was just a flat and he wasn't right for you!!! you had to leave at some point.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Again some sound advice and perfect timing....from me!
And I have already done, 2,4+5 so I feel happy I'm on the right track!

I recommend trying this yourself, it’s a great way to check-in with yourself and make sure you are achieving your goals.

XX

22 June 2012

Goal 22. weigh 9.7 stone

Ahh weight, always a good one to rant about! Last time I blogged about this I weighed 10 and a half stone so this goal was just 14 (ish) pounds away from my grip, I even bumped up the goal to 9.7 instead of 9.5 as original suggested!

 
Well, I haven't done it. The opposite in fact, I've been eating big bars of Cadburys caramel! and, well its caught up with me! inevitable this was going to end badly, but I did one of these body fat analyses at work and its not great news:
  • You'll note I weigh 11st 5lbs (aaaaaaaaaaa!)
  • BMI is 'overweight' ugh
  • Subcutaneous fat levels are not just high, but very high
  • My skeletal muscle is low! this was particularly annoying as I'm a pretty regular gym goer.

 

 

 

 
Damn, OK better get on this then. I've gone for calorie control; 1400 a day and I'm trying to get to the gym as often as possible. Its also inspired me to go back to Kettlebells, yes its hellish but it builds muscle, and it seems I'm in need of that!
 
The good news is this event has prompted my weight loss adventure which I started in earnest 2 weeks ago and I am currently on 10st 11lb. My first milestone is to get to 10st 3lbs and from there its 10 more pounds to 9st 7lb :) Lets do this!

 
xxx

 

 

 

15 June 2012

Home

*sigh* I gotta tell you guys, Boston, I love it. My heart aches when I think about it when I'm this side of the pond. All the most awesome stories from my life come from being stateside: the time I let a yank fly me to Minnesota for our 2nd date, the time I lost $100 in 30 seconds in Vegas, when we sold all our furniture and were left with just the sofa that stayed in the garden.

I know its a cliche to call it the land of opportunity but my god are they right! the air is thick with opportunity for adventure over there. If I bring one thing back with me every time I go there its to remind myself of the first time I went to America, I was moving there at the same time, in that first week: complete culture shock, broken heart, Homesick. But I managed to grow to love it by saying yes to any opportunity that came my way. I try and do that here to which usually works out pretty well: I always say yes to an invite! or at least try!


So Boston 2012?
Lots of this...
Thankyou to The Intercontinental Hotel for their sunrise yoga programme






That's me with the blue top!

Some of this: Newport, Rhode Island and its' beautiful mansions

































and of course lots of amazing food! (I am now on a diet, vis-a-vis goal number 22)


















XXX