Hi Everyone,not feeling great today,climbed out of the bus window over the weekend (it’s a big window)and had carb/sugar binge🙁forced myself to get on scales this morning and I’ve put on 2lbs.My sparkly chart will end up as a Countdown to Easter one at this rate!I almost got stuck climbing back onto the bus but I HAVE climbed back on and am trying to feel positive that,in other years so close to Christmas,I would have totally given up trying losing weight until the new year but this time I know,thanks to you all, that I CAN and that clothes I’ve bought for Christmas which are a little snug won’t still have the tags on months later.
I have been enjoying all of the Christmas jokes and reading about the successes,well done everyone and brilliant inch loss Yowser!
Haven’t written a food plan for the week yet but intend to do that after dropping DD at school and popping to my mum’s with click and collect shop.
Will check in again later.Dawn X

Hello Everyone,I’ve discarded one of the pounds I had gained,yippee.Onward and downward.Have a good day.Dawn x

Great going Dawn getting rid of the pesky pound and climbing back in board. I’ve just completed a 40 hour fast and just eaten a boiled egg! I forgot how tasty a boiled egg with a sprinkle of Maldon salt really is. It was delicious!! I keep passing my scales and wondering and hoping I am losing but I am not going on them for another 16 days. I couldn’t have tried any harder so it is what it is when I get weighed. Christmas is not going to be the end of the journey for me and I would love to continue the countdown journey fun in the New Year. I am sure there will be a Merry crew on board our New Year Fat Buster Bus.

Am going to start job hunting for something part time in the New Year. My retirement plans have been scuppered due to a change in our financial circumstances as a result of the pandemic so I am looking forward to a New Year and a new me.

Keep going everyone and keep chipping away.

Well done DAWN clambering back on tne bus and a pound down, Thats the spirit,keep going!👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 and also CCATHY on 40 hour fast! No wonder that egg tasted good! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Ive got a story for today, a true story,and funny i think..hope you think so too…
It happened a long time ago,but the memory came back to me after seeing a story about a stray cat on tv.
One Christmas, our neighbour Edna sadly died,leaving her loyal cat Sandy,who refused to move off Ednas windowsill. Several of us fed him,but couldnt persuade him indoors. If we tried to carry him in,he just wriggled free.
It got to Christmas Eve and I was determined he would be warm and snug for Christmas at least.
I took out a large shopping bag with a zip and managed to get Sandy into the bag. He was putting up a massive fight though,and I was struggling to get the zip fastened,just for a moment,until I had him safely indoors.
A young guy passing by shouted,why dont you buy a turkey like everyone else! 😀
I love it when someone comes out with a quick and funny remark!
Ps I had bought lots of foody xmas treats for Sandy,and we managed to keep him with us til Xmas night,when he miaowed so much we had to let him go. The story had a happy ending tho as quite soon after that he settled down with Ednas next door neighbour and spent most of his time snoozing in front of her fire!😻😻😻😻 xx

Yes well done Dawn, and everyone else who is chugging away on the Christmas bus. Even if you are not experiencing loss at the moment, you’re still with us. On which point, a special shout out to those who haven’t posted for a while. I hope you are still reading the posts and are with us in spirit? Do let us know how you’re getting on.

Cathy thanks again for your amazing positivity. You really cheered me up today, so thank you. I’d had a great progress leap a couple of weeks ago. Teacher’s pet, up at the front of the bus and all that. But typically have drifted back to the naughty row at the back. Can’t seem to help myself, except that I know that I can if I really put my mind to it. So will keep plodding on. Still hope to get firmly below 140lb again before Christmas and stick there. But I’m sure I’ll be joining the fat busters bus in 2021!

It’s great to look ahead to 2021 actually, and hope and pray it will be a much better year for everyone. A year of new beginnings. Cathy I hope you find exactly the right job for you and one that you will enjoy. I took early retirement just over a year ago and wasn’t sure how I’d be fixed, but so far am managing to get by doing freelance work from home. You may remember that I was supposed to get married this year. We had nothing booked, and only want a small do anyhow, so didn’t lose anything financially. But it’s now booked for September 20201. Honestly if I’m not at goal by then I think I will just give up altogether!!

Lots of love to you all and keep on moving forward X

PS a Christmas joke for today.: Why did the orange take a prune to the Christmas party?
Because he couldn’t find a date

Thanks for your encouragement ClarinetCathy,Yowser and DCT,it’s probably not possible to get to my goal weight for Christmas now but I can definitely still make a bit of a difference and will be staying on the bus until I get there,even if it takes til Easter🐣
Yowser I was nearly in tears reading the story about your neighbour’s cat,I’m so pleased it had a happy ending!
Dawn X

Hi everyone, Dawn, what is it they say about goals. Something about if you aim for the moon and dont make it at least you have reached the stars. Also: a person who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new (Albert Einstein). Finally, Giving up is the only sure way to fail (Gloria Showalter). That will do for now.
Back to goals, I am nearly there – this morning I am 12 stone and one eighth of a pound. Drat 12 stone is one of my goals and I will make it. I am determined.

To add to SUNSHINES quotes…Nelson Mandela said..
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
Never give up girls! X
Todays Corny Christmas jokes..!
What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire?
Frostbite

What did Adam say to his wife on Christmas?
It’s finally Christmas, Eve!

Why don’t crabs celebrate Christmas?
Because they’re shell-fish.
🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁

Hi fellow passengers-
I am still here every day and running after the bus. You all are so cheerful and I am loving the jokes!
My birthday has been and gone and I’m feeling ready to climb back on the bus, not to lose weight but to stop a gain. I will
Cope with that after Christmas!
I’ve had my fill of white carbs which usually are eaten thickly buttered and aim to eat protein and veg for the next week or so to calm things down.
X B

Ahhh Happy Birthday for whichever day it was BUSY🐝 xx🎶🎉🎶🎉🎶🎉🎶🎉🎶🎉
VERANO when is yrs,i know youre a December baby too
What lovely Christmas gifts you must have both made for yr parents! X 💖
BUSYB Im same as you,lthickly buttered white carbs..heavenly 😘😘😘😘

Thanks Sunshinegirl,I’m going to make a note of those quotes ! Dawn X

Hello countdowners and I hope you’re feeling festive. Two weeks today will be a Christmas Eve. We can all still make a difference if we stick to plan. It’s a good thing that we don’t have Christmas parties, Christmas meals and drinks out with friends – this year is the easiest run up to a Christmas ever with no social occasions to scupper us. I am living in a Tier 3 zone and have been for months now so luckily no excuses not to try really hard to be the lowest weight possible on Christmas Eve Morning and then a few days off plan for me and then back to it after New Year. I will weigh myself on 1st February after my Christmas Eve weigh in to give myself time to undo any additional weight gain. Last year on 19.12.19 I weighed 147.4 lbs so I’m hoping to weigh less than that this year. I know I can’t achieve my target of 140 lb in the timescale but I don’t care because in 2021 I WILL achieve my target of 138 lb.

I had an interview today for a job I applied for on Monday ! It went well and I should know the outcome tomorrow. It was strange to dress smartly after wearing casual clothes since March! Was I glad that my smart work clothes fitted well – my trousers were a little loose! Could have been another story had I not been on the countdown bus for the last few months so thanks everyone!

I am going for a good walk tomorrow and am planning another 40 hour fast on Monday.
Hope everyone had a pretty Christmas plan drawn up for the next couple of weeks.

Christmas Joke for today – Where does Santa go when he is sick? ………..To the Elf Centre! boom Boom 🥁

Hiya Countdowners!
Good luck CCATHY re that job! Im sure you wd be an asset anywhere you worked.
And isnt it great that you felt good in yr outfit,imagine if it had felt tight,,would have made you feel uncomfortable and unconfident in that interview! Ive got fingers,eyes and toes crossed for you X
Joke for today….What’s every parent’s favourite Christmas Carol?
Silent Night! 😀
Thought for the day..
Dont judge the day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant ( Robert Louis Stevenson)
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️
CCATHY talking of Boom Boom,I saw a clip of Basil Brush on tv the other day, he’s so cute! X

Hi Everyone,hope you are all clinging tightly onto those bus rails.Cathy I’m going to follow your lead and not weigh myself until Christmas Eve(when I should hopefully have 2 good weeks under my belt) and then not again until 1st February,that’s such a good idea of yours as it means any disappointing results on the scales won’t derail me.Will post again later.Dawn X

Morning all. 2 weeks to go till Christmas, so still time for a pound or two to be on its way. I’m planning to push my way to the front of the bus again for a last minute splurge. Fingers crossed.

Cathy that’s great news about your job interview! I think it’s a positive sign that they interviewed you so quickly. So here’s hoping for some good news today X

Yowzer I saw Basil Brush on TV this week too. Not sure if it was the same clip as you, but it was an interview about him being in a pantomime. Windsor I think. The interviewer could hardly keep a straight face!

On which point, a joke for today ….

Why do Dasher and Dancer love coffee?
Because they’re Santa’s star bucks!

Good morning DAWN and DCT and everyone! Happy Friday!
DCT Yes thats the clip of Baz I saw too..!🦊x
I liked yr joke..heres mine..
What do you call a cat on the beach on Christmas Day?
Sandyclaws

And another joke,not a christmas cracker joke,a longer one but one of my favourite ‘ and thats when the fight started’ jokes..
“My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school reunion, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table.
My wife asked, ‘Do you know her?’
‘Yes,’ I sighed, ‘She’s my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn’t been sober since.’
‘My God!’ says my wife, ‘who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?’
And thats when the fight started…”

Hi Guys,

Just waving to everyone to say I am still here on the bus.

I have had a busy time with work so I haven’t had the time to catch up with everyones messages for a while but back to normal ish life again. (Sadly not paid work so not back to normal.) ,

JGwen good to see you back again 🙂
Cathy – good luck with the job, glad the interview went well!
DCT – I do remember your engagement news and I’m sure at the time I had a post where I mentioned we may have wedding bells in our family too – well today my eldest daughter rang me to tell me she got engaged this morning 🙂 her partner had taken her on a last minute weekend away and proposed 🙂 I’m so happy for them! The wedding will be in 2022, which means I have at least a year to get my act together – there’s no way I want to be as big as I am now when I’m Mother of the Bride! I’m sure there’s a much better choice of outfits when you are a standard size, rather than Plus!

Hello fellow passengers.
There’s lots of good news going on here and long may that continue. How lovely to be Mother of the bride!
Yowzer, I am sitting at Seacombe Ferry waving across the Mersey to you. We don’t be doing this for a while as it’s closing for refurbishment.
Have a good weekend one and all and enjoy the brief day of sunshine.
X B

Hi B I’m waving back! X
Joke for today….
What do you call a frog hanging from the ceiling?
Mistletoad! Xx

I got the job!!!! Have had two glasses of champagne 🥂 and something very naughty for my tea! Well to be fair I only had a boiled egg up until tea time because I’ve been so busy today. I performed in an online zoom clarinet concert this afternoon, had my hair done this morning. One thing that is good is that I don’t know what damage I did tonight! Back to it tomorrow and a 40 hour fast on Monday so I’ll never know! Very liberating. I start my new job on 12th January. My eldest son who lives alone in London was sent home yesterday as a close colleague was concerned he has Covid. Luckily he tested negative so my son doesn’t have to isolate and hopefully we can go and see him at Christmas. Not seen him since March. I feel so lucky today,

CCATHY!🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂 congratulations!XX🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
And lovely news too about seeing yr son and performing in a concert. Its been a red letter day for you,isn’t it fab when one of those days comes along!
Thanks for yr good news,sending me to bed with a smile on my face! Xx

Oh Cathy that’s lovely news. Well done! I feel like crying with happiness for you. Have another glass of champagne for me?

It’s so nice to get some good news, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving than you.

Hope everyone else is ok? Do post your own good news on here. SueBlue so wonderful to hear you are going to be mother of the bride! X

I was out with friends tonight and suddenly one of them asked me – out of the blue – what was the diet I’d been telling her about. I started explaining, and in the process realised it’s nearly four years – FOUR YEARS!!! – I’ve been on this WOE. In a way I feel discouraged in that I’m still not at goal. But on the other hand I’m so grateful. This WOE has become so much part of my life. And these forums have been a life saver. I particularly want to thank ClarinetCathy and SueBlue who have been allies since we set off in January 2017.

It’s a funny old life. Especially this year. But am so glad to be journeying with all you lovely people X

Clarinet Cathy – congratulations! So happy for you 🙂 How exciting, a new job for the new year!
DCT – yes I hear what you are saying about the 4 years… on the one hand I’m disappointed that after 4 years I’m nowhere near my goal weight BUT to be honest it’s not like I’ve stuck totally to plan for those 4 years! Also too at other times I’ve gone on various diets and then put the weight, plus more, back on… at least with BSD I’ve kept most of my initial weight loss off, and this WOE has become a way of life for me, I’ve really reaped the health benefits with lower blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation. Okay I still have a LOT to lose, but the fact that I’m, and in fact WE are all still here after 4 years says a lot I think.
This year has been, and continues to be, a challenge for so many of us. I’m feeling grateful to have had the support of friends, both old and new, on this forum.
I’m feeling very hopeful about 2021, and in the meantime am going to strive and do the best I can during these last few weeks of 2020 🙂

It is so lovely to read all of your wonderful comments and jokes, thank you all for sharing the fun! Congratulations CC, wonderful news!! Also SueBlue, what a fabulous motivator!! I will post again in a day or so when I weigh & measure myself, as it will be 6 weeks of following 800 calories per day. Save me a seat on the bus whether I’ve lost weight or not, either way I’m loving being on the road with you all!

CCathy,congratulations on your brilliant news,what a lovely start to the new year😀
Why is it getting harder to buy Advent calendars?…. their days are numbered!
Have a good day everyone.Dawn X

Thank you everyone for your support, encouragement and kind words. I didn’t really want to be looking for a new job and hoped that we could manage but Covid has had its impact on us financially and I do feel really fortunate to have found a job that ticks a lot of boxes. I know I wouldn’t have kept on this journey without the friendship and support of the wonderful friends I’ve made whilst being part of the forum since 2017 and I am so grateful to you all. We have a lot to be thankful for and lots to look forward to. DCT getting married in September and SueBlue being mother of the bride in 2022- Sue you will be at goal for the wedding – you have plenty of time to achieve that goal – I loved being mother of the groom in 2018 when I was 138 lb and felt fabulous.

In the New Year when we book our seat on the new, shiny, fat busters bus I think we should all make a list of the things we are to looking forward to and renew our goals for 2021/2022.

Not long now until Christmas. Let’s just be the best we can be every day. We can’t ask any more of ourselves at this difficult time when many families can’t be together and so many of our friends have lost loved ones.

Keep going countdowners. We are FABULOUS!

Can I add my congrats cathy. I too have been on this plan for over 4 years and that tells me that it works. No I have never reached my absolute goal but that would mean I was 12 years old again hahaha… What I am so grateful for is my good health, looking reasonable for a 67 year old and looking forward to continued good living. Nearly at my Christmas goal, just 1 3/4lbs to go and absolutely determined to be there by Friday so I will get a big pat on the back from my doctor. Already looking forward to next year when this mess should be over and life can begin again.

Hi SHOEGIRL!SUNSHINEGIRL!SUEBLUE!DCT!DAWN!
CCATHY!I I vote that you get the “Special Christmas Congratulatory Commendation” for always being so inspiring with your uplifting,encouraging and positive words!xx🏆🎖🥇🏆🎖🥇🏆🎖🥇🏆🎖🥇🏆🎖🥇xx

🎉 Xmas Joke for Sunday 🎉
What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?
Tinsel-itis! 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈

I second your awards Yowzer – and add you to the list.
I know I have wavered and jumped on and off the bus, but without the support of you all I know I wouldn’t be here now.
I am managing to not put on any more weight and my recent blood tests were all normal so I am contend with that for now, but will be first in the queue to board the new bus in the new year!
X B

Hi everyone,Ive just had some sad news,my sister rang my dad’s care home this morning to hopefully arrange a face to face visit for my mum (then for us)after a long 8 months since he first left home but,unfortunately,one of the staff members has tested positive for COVID and under PHE rules they apparently now can’t have visits for a month.My dad hasn’t been eating for months now and we aren’t sure how much longer he can go on with just supplement drinks and milk so not sure if we will ever get visits arranged.Sorry to bring the mood down but I may not post for a while though I will still be reading everyone else’s posts.Will try my best to stay on the bus and post my results on Christmas Eve.Dawn X

Dawn – I am so sad to read your news. How upsetting for you and your mum and for your dad. I am so sorry that this has happened when you were so close to being able to see him. We can’t take anything for granted these days and it’s becoming harder and harder to deal with disappointment. We appreciate that you will need time to reflect and we will save you a place on the bus. Sending you a massive hug and my advice would be not to be too hard on yourself at what is going to be a very difficult and different Christmas for many of us. I hope that Yowser will come up with a wonderful quote to help us all get through the difficult times ahead.

Thanks Cathy,yes please definitely save me a place on the bus,I will need it.Dawn X

Hi Dawn just to say how sorry I am that you still can’t visit your Dad. I hope and pray that he will begin to rally and be strong enough to see you as soon as you are able. Sending lots of love, and just post as and when you can. I do hope that your sparkly chart helps to bring you a little bit of cheer in these difficult days.

So much is going on at the. moment that I think most of us will still be on the bus as it chugs into 2021. So we will see you then if not before. Good to know you will be there too Busybee X

DAWn what a terrible disappointment for you all,Im so sorry as I know this visit wd have made Christmas for the whole family xx sending hugs (((((((((((XXX))))))))) and of course theres always a seat reserved for you on our New Year New You FatBuster Bus ! 💖xx
Ps I hope that poor staff member recovers quickly from covid,and only has a mild dose x

DCT i think we may have to order a Fatbuster Fleet of buses come the New Year!😀😀😀

Thanks DCT and Yowser.The staff at the care home are devastated,they really wanted visits to start.We are hoping no more of them catch it.Yowser well done on your Countdown to Christmas weight loss so far.Dawn X

I’m sending you love and virtual hugs Dawn – the emotional rollercoaster must be so hard for you and your Mum and Dad. Keep strong and be kind to yourself.
We are living in very strange times but I know I get strength and support from all my friends who get on and off this bus. We’ve never met, live very different lives and joined this forum with the aim of losing some weight. However this has resulted in a group of people forming a strong bond who are always there to laugh, cry and grumble together.
X B

Dawn, so sorry to read your post and I can only imagine how hard It is for you and your family, take care x
Busybee – what lovely words and I agree, we have formed strong bonds during our time on here. I never would have imagined in January 2017 that I’d still be on here with so many of the friends I made then.
I had a good day today, I’m just focusing on one day at a time until Christmas, I’m not doing a strict 800 calories until January but am keeping to about 1000-1100 calories most days, and doing TRE of 16:8.
Today for dinner I had salmon salad, with fresh salmon baked in the oven with dark soy sauce, sesame oil, a little honey, lime juice, sesame seeds and a little chilli – recipe from the Fast 800 book. It’s was really lovely. It’s summer here so there’s so much lovely fresh produce to choose from. We’ve also been lucky with the weather, last year we had awful drought and bushfires, this year it’s the opposite with cool, cloudy days and rain.I have another reason/incentive to stay on track as I should be going back to work in the office in January, it will be so weird after working from home for 9 months. Luckily my work clothes still fit! It will be strange being around other people too, and using transport, as I’ve been staying home most of the time (even when not working), due to having low immunity. But we’ve had zero community transmission of covid-19 for almost a month now, so the end is hopefully in sight. I’m still being careful and wearing a mask when out in public though.
I just hope that things go the same way soon in the UK, USA and everywhere else where people are still going through it.

SUEBLUE. O.D.A.A.T. Is definitely the way to live! And well done still able to get into work gear after nine months working from home. X
BUSYBEE yes isnt it nice to have a busload of likeminded people to share good and bad days with! 💖
DAWN,sending hugs to you and yr family X we’re thinking of you 💖
Thought for today…
Weight loss is like driving..when you veer off the road,just make a U turn and head back in the right direction!
AND ….
suck it up and one day you wont have to suck it in! 😀
Joke for today..
What do you get when you mix a Christmas tree with an iPad..
A Pineapple! 🙄🙄🙄 xx

Hello countdowners
Thank you for my award which I am thrilled to receive. One of the things that has made a big difference to me during the last few months has been ditching the daily weigh in and that has helped me remain positive and hopeful. I have resisted going anywhere near them and I am pleased with my New Year plan of weighing on the first of every month next year. My resolve to get to goal weight is as strong as ever and I know I will get there but without the daily insult on the scales. My clothes are feeling comfortable and I am looking slimmer in the face! My rings seem loser and I will be very interested to see if I’ve lost anything next week when I do my weigh in. If I haven’t then that’s OK too because I will know that after Christmas I’m going to have to work a little harder.
Well we have just over one week to Christmas. I am hoping to stay with my son in London for a few days as a I’ve not seen him since March and we are isolating in the run up to Christmas to optimise our health and stay safe!

Thank you for all the inspirational quotes Yowser I really do enjoy reading them and taking on board the messages.
SueBlue- the fact that your work clothes fit you after 9 months is testament to how hard you have worked to keep on track. Well done! We all would most likely have gone off the rails had we not kept strong and focused and had each other to keep us on the straight and narrow. We really must be strong stuff to have coped during this pandemic and kept on track of our weight!!! We should all get an award for that!

So keep going everyone we are nearly at our first destination – Christmas. Yowser has a fleet of fat buster buses 🚌 🚌 🚌 🚌 🚌 fuelling up and on standby for our New Year destinations and I am sure there will be many more joining in with us. I would like to put in my request for a reservation on one of the new buses which I hope departs on or around 2nd January.

Only a few more days to Christmas- let’s make them count. Best Christmas present ever being healthier and feeling good about ourselves- you can’t buy that anywhere!

Well said, CC, feeling positive about your body and health is a great way to embrace Christmas and to head into the New Year!
I love the jokes and fun, Yowser, definitely a happy bus ride!
Keep positive Dawn, thinking of you and your family.
SueBlue that sounds like a great way to get back into work, well done you!!
It’s my birthday this week 🎉 and the end of my 6 weeks of Fast 800. I have lost 4.85kg, which is great, but most exciting is I’ve lost 10cm off my stomach and 6cm off my waist!! This gives me a bit of “relaxing room” over Christmas time. Happy to board the new bus in 2021!
1 week to go everyone, buckle up!!

Happy birthday shoegirl and well done on your weight loss.
I’m sure the bus manager, Yowzer, will make sure that there is a seat available for everyone.
X B

Happy Birthday Shoegirl and well done on your weight loss 🙂
I spoke too soon about COVID in my last post. We had zero community transmission for weeks but now there’s a cluster of new cases in Sydney, in the area where my daughter lives .
Residents in the area have been asked to stay home for the next 3 days. She was due to come and stay with me for Christmas but that’s in doubt now.
I know so many other people’s lives have been impacted badly due to this virus. I’m just disappointed because I really thought life was beginning to be returning to normal…. I never would have imagined when I couldn’t see my daughter at Easter, Mothers Day, and her birthday, that we couldn’t spend Christmas together either!
That’s life nowadays though.

I’ve decided not to weigh myself until Christmas Eve. CCathy I like your idea of a monthly weigh in, I might try this also.
The problem I have with daily/weekly weigh ins is that when I see no or little loss, or even a gain, it’s very discouraging.
I’ve been making some different meals from the Fast 800 recipe book. I had roasted veggie pasta last night which was lovely.
There’s a new Fast 800 recipe book coming out in Jan, a speedy, 5 ingredient one apparently, so I will be buying that – I love cookbooks, well all books really 🙂

I’m determined to stay strapped into my seat on the bus for the next week, so fingers crossed I’ll have. A good loss to report on Christmas Eve.
Take care all x

Hi folks! Just calling by to say goodnight to those it applies to,.very tired and ready for bed 🥱 good day to everyone else x
SUEBLUE and CCATHY…me too post christmas…deffo less jumping on the scales. I also get v discouraged when the scales arent kind!
Im so sorry about yr daughter..that really hits home when you say you havent seen her for all those key occasions. Such a shame. My daughter lives just footsteps away from my home, but we have mainly seen each other through windows or on front paths,but at least thats something. 💖xx

Hi guys,

I am getting ready to strap on my roller skates to be able to grab hold of the handle on the back of the double decker bus as it flies past on the final days to Christmas.

I just wanted to say CC how pleased I am on how positive your posts are recently with the focus on celebrating all the NSV.

I am sorry for all the people who are sad about not being able to meet family in person this festive season. All none essential shops here in Wales have to close on Christmas Eve, pubs close from 6pm on Christmas Day, and the full lock down resumes on the 28th. with no idea how long this round of lockdown will be. So sadly no chance to go shopping for target clothes in the Boxing day sales. Maybe we will have to have a boxing day sort out of our wardrobes to get our target outfits for coming out of this round of lockdown.

I went into town to do my Christmas present shopping earlier this week and the high street was emptier than it normally is on a Sunday evening, even the charity shops had started having sales and some had closed down. The run up to Christmas is the only time when I enjoy wandering around the shops having a good browse, but the only positive last week was that I am able to walk quickly without having to stop to catch my breath so I could get round the town to all the shops I wanted to pop into and back to my car within an hour.

Hi JGWEN and all..todays joke is this… very clever and funny…sad tho ( apologies for posting,please ignore if youre a Tory)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ5kcE-gcnw

Very funny but some truths there too.

Still going strong and weight down below 76 today. Mustn’t mess it up now as only 6 days to go to reach my goal and just need another half a pound off.

Sunshine Girl well done on being so close to goal, how exciting to be just half a pound away!
I spoke to my daughter last night and she is in good spirits. She is planning to just stay at home for the next 6 days, luckily she is able to work from home. The restrictions on travel from her area to where I am are voluntary at the moment, and we are hoping they don’t become mandatory and that she will still be able to leave on Xmas Eve to come home. If not though we will accept that. So many families have it so much worse, at the end of the day spending Christmas apart isn’t the worst thing that can happen. I was upset at first simply because I truly thought that COVID was just about over for us in Sydney as community transmission had been eliminated. However, eveb though there is a new outbreak here, our numbers are still far lower than other countries, so a lot to be grateful for.
JGwen – I’ve done almost all of my Christmas shopping online, it’s been great 🙂 so many shops offered free shipping for orders over a certain amount, and all parcels have arrived in time. Now I just have to wrap everything. I do miss shopping in charity shops, I used to get so many of my clothes there, and from markets.
I realised that I haven’t posted a Christmas joke yet, so here’s one:
Who delivers Christmas presents to cats? Santa Paws!
🎅 🐾 🎅 🐾 🎅 🐾 🎅 🐾

Hi everyone, weight is exactly the same. Sue Blue, the goal is just the one I set for Christmas but it is still a goal. I met others on the way, got under 12 stone, hit at 75.something KGs, comfortably fit into a pair of trousers. Was going to have a celebratory drink last night after my visit to the doctor but something held me back – I dont want to mess it up and there are only 6 days to go. Surprised as I was quite upset with the news Dr gave me, no vaccination here in France until June. So I understand your disappointment Sue, my daughter is in a land far far away – that is what my grandsons say about me – we are nana and grandad far far away. Im KOKO until the big day or maybe Christmas Eve. In the new year I have other targets to reach but that is for then. Have a good weekend.