I'm on a 'diet'. There I've said it. I've said it out loud too. That makes it real.
I haven't officially told anyone. Not even my husband. I think I am scared that if I tell people and I then fail, or eat something perceived as 'bad', then they will look at me in a different way.
Now just look the words I have used in those few sentences.....'diet', 'bad' and my words even suggesting people will look at me as a failure if I don't stick to food that will help me lose weight! I know these are all words and impressions that I have picked up over the past years. When I was younger my mother cooked beautiful meals, and she still does now. Her father used to entertain clients in the home so she was used to providing good food. As I grew up my parents took in foreign students and we had fabulous meals and desserts, and cakes. But mum and I were often on a diet too. It was the fashion years ago. We tried them all. The hard boiled egg diet, the cabbage diet, the cottage cheese diet, the eat nothing but soup diet, and on and on. In fact I can honestly say that I have had, and still have, a very food orientated life. I think about my next meal frequently, and food is a great pleasure to me. I have been known to dream about food!
The problem is that 'diets' become all consuming. Really what I need to do is start thinking of what I put in my mouth and what it does to my body, and then actually following it up. I know I am overweight, and I have made plenty of excuses for why I am like this. I have rheumatoid arthritis and it's difficult to exercise. My knees are shot away and the fibromyalgia makes me ache, so I rest often. I walk a lot at work so get my bit of exercise there. I like cooking. My husband isn't overweight, and so when I cook for him it's not right that I eat different food at our meal times. Oh the excuses go on and on and I know deep inside that they are exactly that, excuses.
I've lost a substantial amount of weight before. Three stone in fact. My son needed to lose some too, so I followed the Slimming World meal plans and it helped me to practice portion control. My son lost lots of weight and we actually found it easy. I haven't been in the right frame of mind to change my meal planning for a long time, and that's what has been wrong. I just bought larger clothes, threw away the ones I couldn't get in to any more, and slobbed about. I don't really know what has changed, but the last four weeks I've been eating totally different from before. I have lost ten pounds and my trousers are not so tight. Something must have clicked in my head and this week brought it home to me why I am doing it too.
My father had a big fall and ended up with a serious head injury and gashed arm. All week I have looked after him and my mother, and it's made me realise that I need to be fit to do that. They will need my help far more as the months go on and I am determined to be there for them. So carrying extra weight is not an option. Cue the Daily Mail featuring a week long introduction to the Fast 800 Summer Diet and it's piqued my interest. So I am following it. I will still have a treat meal once a week though. That was what kept me going the last time I lost weight and I suspect it will do the same this time. So far I am 'in the frame', ready to do this. I am also ready to get in to a pair of moss green jeans I have set my sights on for some reason. Always have a goal!!
I have one problem and that is boredom. It tends to hit after a couple of weeks, so I am going to trawl the internet for recipes and hopefully that will help? It's easy to do a healthy eating plan (see what I have done there? Change around the emotion, and avoid the word 'diet' because of the connotations for me) for a few weeks but harder to sustain it. Writing it down makes it real, and let's hope that will help me to keep going until I fit in to those jeans...……..
The news that Kenneth Noye has been released from prison makes me sad and angry for the injustice. It makes a mockery of the words 'life in prison'.
In 1996 Kenneth Noye stabbed to death twenty one year old Stephen Cameron in a road rage incident. It happened on the M25 in front of Stephen's seventeen year old fiancé. I cannot imagine the horror of witnessing something like this. There has been one murder in my family many years ago, a stabbing. The repercussions still resound today. Not only that but, although it was an aunt, I recall the agony of the family when the murderer came up for parole each time. I have no idea how someone in prison is assessed for release but do wonder how anyone can tell that someone is 'contrite', has good conduct (in prison?!), and 'maturity' as is in the case of Kenneth Noye. The environment of prison is completely different to that of the real outside world as you are cocooned, and in a false state of reality. Everything is provided for you, and you have little interaction with anyone except those keeping you there, those assessing you and other inmates.
There are degrees of murder, first and second, and also voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. All result in the death of a person. As a result the sentencing of those that carry out these crimes are subject to the interpretation of the law, and it is hard to categorise when people who commit them should be rehabilitated on the outside of prison.
The case of Kenneth Noye is indisputably that of murder, witnessed and proven. He was given a life sentence with a minimum of sixteen years to serve. Personally I think that when a sentence states life, it should mean exactly that. A lifetime in confinement with no access to the outside world. Kenneth Noye will have restrictions to his release, but the parole board have decided he is ready to return to the community. Previous requests in 2015 and 2017 were turned down. He is now seventy one and has been deemed to be no threat to anyone.
Do I think his restrictions are enough? Well he has to see a probation officer regularly, has restrictions on oversea travel, exclusion zones, and live in supervised accommodation. No, I don't think they are enough. The family are devastated at his release, and I can understand why. To know that someone is walking around living their lives freely is harsh when a loved one has been murdered by that person. To know you may accidentally see or meet them must be even worse. Kenneth Noye committed another serious crime before his murder of Stephen Cameron. He handled stolen bullion from a Heathrow Airport heist. Kenneth Noye also stabbed ten times and killed a police officer, Detective Constable John Fordham, at his home in 1985. The Detective Constable was investigating Kenneth Noye's links to the heist. Kenneth Noye was imprisoned for handling the stolen goods but cleared of murder or manslaughter on the grounds of self defence. I suggest stabbing someone ten times is not an act of self defence, but an act of deliberately wanting to stop someone permanently.
The fact that he has stabbed and killed two people on separate occasions suggest to me he should not be released at all. He is a murderer twice over, and as such should be staying in prison, locked away for life. He should not even have been allowed to live in an open prison, as he has been since 2017. Neither should he have been allowed to visit his home unescorted since last year, as has been reported. Kenneth Noye should not be allowed out with the general public at all. In fact I have no idea why I am mentioning his name as it only adds to his notoriety, so all I want to say is how long before he does it again? How long?
My sympathies go out to the family of Detective Constable John Fordham and Stephen Cameron.
I've got a secret crush on Professor Brian E Cox. It's only just happened, but I can feel myself going all silly when I watch him on tv. For a woman of fifty nine this is somewhat disconcerting!
Obviously I've known about him before now, after all he is well known in the media, but I've never actually listened to him until last week. He is presenting a new program all about the planets in our solar system, and as I find that sort of thing interesting I recorded the first episode. Well what a revelation. Not only was the episode interesting, but the presenter, Professor Brian Cox, is rather charismatic.
There is a short bio telling you who he is -
Professor Brian Edward Cox OBE, FRS is an English physicist who serves as professor of particle physics in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester. He is best known to the public as the presenter of science programmes, especially the Wonders of... series and for popular science books, such as Why Does E=mc²? and The Quantum Universe. He has been the author or co-author of over 950 scientific publications.
There is definitely a sense of 'lets get Boris Johnson' right now. I've notice a sly movement going on to discredit him. Someone doesn't want him to be the next Prime Minister.
I have to be honest. Boris hasn't been my first choice for Prime Minister as he has ended up with a reputation for being a buffoon, but recently he seems to have shown a different side to his usual clowning around character. He reminds me of Donald Trump a bit. Puts his foot in it, speaks before he appears to think, and seems to get caught on camera in the most unlikely of poses and positions. He also has charisma, is popular with a lot of people and strongly believes in this country. Like I said, a bit like Donald Trump is to America.
The reason why I say someone is gunning for Boris Johnson, is the amount of recent anti Boris media news articles since he announced he is standing for Prime Minister. Take today for example. Donald Trump has recently tweeted his support for Boris. So what have the anti Brexit Led by Donkeys campaigners done? They have projected a video of Boris Johnson criticising Donald Trump in 2015 on to Big Ben. It is huge! Now let's get this straight. It's clearly a sabotage campaign. Considering Donald Trump and Boris Johnson's recent mutual admiration the video will be an embarrassment. Boris Johnson will also look a bit of an idiot to those who support his stand to be Prime Minister. I always say that you should be careful what you speak, tweet or post out in to the public domain. If it is derogatory it will come back to bite you in the bum (to coin a phrase) at the worst possible moment. So it was silly of Boris to say what many people were thinking, after all he is a well known public figure. But it also was four years ago and people are allowed to change their minds about a person. Boris Johnson and Donald Trump have met, and maybe they actually got on?
So you could say the video is a nasty piece of work, or you could say it's all fair in love and war. To me it's a bit of both. The video is a real dig at someone who has stated exactly where he stands with regard to Brexit, and who wants a future trade deal with America. But as I have said, if you are in the public arena you need to watch what you say. Maybe Boris Johnson is like Donald Trump who doesn't seem to care a fig about what anyone says about him if it's negative? To be honest if everyone with such a public profile read everything that they considered horrible about them it would soon start to have a negative effect. So I would say that the best thing to do is ignore the bad and stick to the good. You may be under a false illusion about how great you are, but you certainly wont be depressed or get a complex!
I haven't seen much negative press about the other candidates who put themselves forward for Prime Minister, but maybe I've been reading the wrong newspapers or social media pages? Then again it does seem like Boris Johnson has become a target at the moment. That means one of two things. Either he is in with a real chance of becoming Prime Minister and therefore a big threat to some people, or some people just don't like him! Wonder which it is?
Donald Trump's visit to us is imminent. I await with bated breath what he will inflict on us, accidentally or otherwise!
Now I am no fan of the man. I admit to laughing at some of the things he says and does, but there is no doubt he has a lot of America behind him. He appears to have a charisma that inspires a lot of people, and also he appears to speak the language that people want to hear. He very often says it how he sees it, and really doesn't seem to care who he upsets. Donald Trump is also passionate about America and that resonates with an incredible amount of people. Maybe that is what we need here? Someone who feels so strongly about our country that he or she fights for us, rather than tries to pander to what other countries want?
Still, this man does court controversy wherever he goes. People have already marched against his visit, and will no doubt march against him while he is here visiting. I do feel we all have the right to say how we feel, but I also feel it should be done with respect. Bandying that 'baby Trump' balloon around is ridiculing and disrespectful, however you may feel about the man. But then I feel respect is important whoever you may be, whether rich, poor, famous or just someone like me!
Anyway with Donald Trump's visit almost here I did get to see a newspaper use a few 'Americanism' today. It was deliberate, but what can I say? Some of the words they use for things we have are rather strange indeed. I mean how about a 'fanny pack'? Guess what that is? A 'bum bag'. It seems rather an eyebrow raising American name for it, but then maybe a fanny means something different over there! Egg plant? Why do the Americans call an aubergine that? I suppose it could be considered egg shaped but it's purple! Cookie? Now here in Britain a cookie is a particular type of round flat sometimes chewy biscuit with chocolate chips in, or raisins, or such like. In America a cookie is a biscuit not a type of biscuit, so is a cracker. A cracker here is generally savoury. Suspenders? Well Americans call braces that. I am not sure how to explain to Americans what we consider suspenders are, but suffice to say it's part of a certain type of underwear! Jumper? Would you believe that's what they call a pinafore dress? A jumper or pullover in America is called a sweater. That could cause confusion if you want to buy a jumper in America then. Closet? That's a toilet in English and a wardrobe in America. That could be very awkward if you get that wrong.
Some of the words American's use are easy for us to understand as they make total sense. Parking lot. Potato chips. Pacifier. Wash cloth. Vacation. Dog house. Oven mitt. Dish towel. All easy enough to interpret, but it could be interesting when Mr Donald Trump chats to the Queen. I foresee a few interesting eyebrow wiggles happening, let alone scope for misinterpretation. I wish I was a fly on the wall at the meeting...……….
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/usage/british-and-american-terms
Quick blog today. My father has had a traumatic head injury after a fall in the garden. He is home but being monitored carefully.
I just want to say that the A&E department we went to was hugely busy, and yet through all the upheaval every single one of the staff were amazing. I want to say thank you.
They treated each of us with respect and dignity. Every patient was assessed professionally, and as if they were the only one. After five hours there we were all exhausted and yet as we left there will still (tired) smiles from the staff. We are so lucky to have the NHS. Long may we support it, and long may people understand a cold is not a reason to visit A&E!!
Ever felt out of fashion? That's me right now. I'm a vodka and tonic drinker. Gin is in fashion, so pooh to me!
It's been a while now since the gin movement started, and boy has it taken off. There are so many flavours and types around that, if you like gin, it's a dream come true. Everywhere I look there are magazine articles, tv programmes and internet sites all about this drink. I look at them all and think yummy what better on a hot sunny day than a gin and tonic. The idea, the mystery, the fashionableness of it all, makes me aspire to be a gin drinker. Who wouldn't want to drink a gin flavoured with blood oranges, or maybe wild berries? Just add tonic and ice, maybe a slice of lemon, or heck go the whole hog and add a slice of cucumber, and away you go. The image of some cool person in large sunglasses, floppy hat and not a lot else, sipping a nice gin and tonic is bandied about all over the place. You are that person if you drink gin. You are that cool, fashionable person. In fact you can even look cool while drinking non alcoholic gin too. Imagine that. A gin that doesn't give you a hangover and still tastes like the real stuff, apparently.
The problem is that I have tried to drink gin but I really don't like it. Honestly, I have tried. The only 'gin' I like is sloe gin, and I have to be in the right mood to drink that, and only in the winter. I've never liked gin, let's be honest. Years ago when I used to go out clubbing with my girlfriends I would drink wine or vodka while they would drink gin and tonics. My over-riding memory of those nights is my best friend delicately crying in the taxi after consuming vast quantities of gin muttering 'It's the gin. It's mother's ruin. It makes you cry, It's the gin'. More sniffles. I used to pat her on the shoulder and mutter 'It's the gin, don't worry'. I think that made me decided not to drink the stuff anyway!
In my own 'cool' days I would sip vodka and lemonade with ice and a slice of lime. In fact when I think back I even drank vodka at college. Vodka and lime was my tipple of choice, introduced to me by a mate of my then boyfriend. I suppose I've never looked back after that. I like the purity of vodka and prefer to drink a barley version called Finlandia. I don't like any of this rye grass stuff either! It's a pity that you don't get the choice that you do with gin. I trawled an on line supermarket site and found five pages worth of gins and only two of vodkas. Rather disconcerting when you are attempting to get the drink of your choice. I must admit I've tampered with flavoured vodkas but always go back to the simple clarity of a pure unflavoured type. I have had a go at all those flavoured vodka Christmas pressies you see in the magazines every year (don't mention Christmas ahhhhhh). I've bought pretty cheap vodka, added skittles sweeties and watched the colour go day glo, and it does indeed taste rather good. One tip. Either use one skittle sweetie colour only, or stick to yellow and green OR red and blue, just don't add them all because the colour ends up rather weird. I've also done citrus peel infused vodka, and that was just as good. In fact I may just make some again this year.
So I think I will just label myself as 'different'. I like to stand out from the crowd and so why would I drink gin just to follow what everyone else is drinking? Nah. That's what I tell myself. Mind you, don't tell anyone but secretly deep inside I really do wish I liked gin because it does all sound so good when you read the label...…….but nope I just don't like it and that's that! I'll stick to vodka please.
https://www.candystore.com/blog/recipes/sweets-with-an-adult-twist-our-favorite-candy-infused-vodka-recipes/
