Thanks for the link to your blog Izzy – I’ve added it to my Feedly so I can follow you 😃

I am getting back into soup mode. Go here go there; fly here fly there: Amtrak here; Amtrak There……. Summer is exhausting and tiring! I thought it was vacation time!

What a big weekend: Japanese First Lady visited Pearl Harbor. No Prime Minister or any high end politician in Japan ever visited it before in Hawaii. Tyra Banks teaching at Stanford Business School? You got to be kidding me! Thanks god I went to a less liberal school in Hamburg!

Well, getting ready for my travels next week for the US Open and some shopping bargains. Who wants to buy a Rolex in Chinatown for 50 Bux? LOL

Sorry I was missing in action! a mixture of busyness, tiredness, overdoing it- ness, and also making time for my friend.

Hopefully normal service is resuming today 🙂

I made my daughter one of those Della wallets. it turned out reasonably well. Going to make one for my MIL and sister now too.

Well I’ve struggled a little this past week, not sure why. Anyway my weight has stayed the same so I’m happy with that and I’ve made a minor decision – that for the next two weeks I am going to switch to the BSD way of life rather than 800. I’m not going back to my old ways because I don’t want to undo all the good I have done, but having come to this point where I feel much better about myself I want to at least maintain it, I feel no rush to lose what is left. So I am not going to count calories but I will continue to follow BSD principles, in two weeks I will reassess and decide what to do from there 🙂

Having said that I’ve not had more than 800 today anyway lol.

I’ve been busy again will need to update my blog I’ve made a small batch of alien keyrings, and some paracord bracelets today as well as working on my sisters wallet when my son was at nursery 🙂

I love Friday mornings!

Hi Izzy – that’s a biggie – not a minor decision!
Lots of luck with it, I’m sure that its all so ingrained now that you’ll do really well – maybe the struggling it just your body letting you know that it is ready for a little bit more now.

Must be something in the water this week Izzy, Mr Lucky and I have come to a similar decision over the last couple of days. Everything was feeling a bit too intense and I wasn’t enjoying it any more. It’s going to take time to shift these last 6 stone, whether I am on 800 calories or 1200 and coping better, it will come off. I too am going to stick to the right stuff as best I can and if I feel the need to have something naughty, it will be made with good ingredients. Not shop bought, processed rubbish.

BSD has given me so much confidence, I really feel like I can control my weight now, and still lose more. I love that it is flexible and that we can jump between the levels without feeling like failures! i think this is one of the secrets to it’s success.

Frog it does *feel* minor, I do feel I have some great new habits 🙂 major would be giving it all up!

Mr and Mrs Lucky – Good luck with your plans 🙂

I love these forums! A month losing weight and we all help each other! The one advice I actually learned from myself is classic from the EAGLES:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJzvkHtfBfM

Take it easy and Live Long And Prosper!

PrincetonianStud

yup everyone here has been a great support to me 🙂

Today I have been lazy, spent most of the day playing with bits of paracord trying to make bracelets and keyfobs lol.

I didn’t have breakfast, and I had chilli with cheese for lunch. Dinner was a kind of lasagne dish but only with bolognaise mince no cheese sauce, and pasta made with almond flour – which I won’t post the recipe for because it was only ‘okay’ and I won’t make it again! I also had some nuts and a hot choc made with almond milk.

Yay my week off has begun! Had a gentle morning as my son didn’t wake too early, had his breakfast then took him along to the childminder – stayed for a cup of tea and a catch up as she is one of my besties. Finally walked back home about 1100 lol and made my morning shake. THEN I did some work. I removed my built in oven and replaced the oven and grill elements (it’s about time as it’s been broken for months) then fitted it all back in and tested it (working woohoo) Then moved on to the two toilets as I had two new toilet seats waiting to be fitted. So cleaned both toilets, replaced both seats and all looking good. Then I felt super hungry so I had me some greek yoghurt, then some soup. A pretty productive few hours! I’m heading out soon to go to hobbycraft in town which will be much more fun and even better I’m going alone, usually I have my daughter to fend off buying half the store lol.

Right then, time for a herbal tea and then escape to the shop. Hobbycraft is the only shopping I actually like! Oh and I might pick up a hairdye as my colour has faded.

Roast chicken for dinner later.

HI Izzy – enjoy your week off! Sounds like a very busy start to it.
Thought it was odd that your son had gone to the childminder today, but then remembered I think you’re in Scotland, aren’t you?

The busyness continues! and yes we are in Scotland no holiday here (except for me lol) So last night I finished sorting out my paypal account, and ebay and folksy. So Later today I plan to photograph and attempt to sell my stuff 🙂 exciting but I hope my things are wanted!

Today I dropped off my son, caught up with friend again and then home… cleaned my living room windows, dusted the living room and then started to clean my oven. The door separates into 3 pieces so all bits cleaned and had to scrape the inner one. It is getting old now and doesn’t clean perfectly but it certainly looks a lot better. My grill – which was working yesterday – has stopped working again grrr, so I’ll need to pull it all out again to see if I can find out why 🙁 Can’t be bothered for now though.

I’m going to disappear up into my loft soon and get some keyrings up for sale, and maybe paint something. I haven’t painted in a while. Work a bit on my sisters wallet too. Fabric to make one for my mother in law is here now too 🙂 so plenty to get on with.

My daughter also wants me to make her a pencil case too so really I could be up there for days and still have loads to do lol. Well I best get going have a great day 🙂

Look what I did…

https://folksy.com/shops/margarethewston

It’s taken me ages to sort that out and I’ve put some other ones on ebay too. Excited 🙂

Brilliant, well done, looks very professional
Good Luck with it!

Thank you Frog 🙂

I don’t need to make too much but it would be great if I could earn enough to cover the costs and keep making stuff.

Congrads on started a an internet business. May you be having prosperity from it.

Well, rest time is over. Serena is ready to finish kicking some Russian Ass! 😀 It is so terrible that there is no Azarenka this time. Well, Andy Murray is here this time. i think he will win again. Del Potro would be a great match for him.

Live Long And Prosper!

Princetonianstud

Thank you 🙂 I’ve sold one key ring – wondering if it was someone here maybe, anyway whoever it is I hope they like it, I shall get it posted off today.

I’ll get some more things made and added soon 🙂 I want to show some diversity on the page. I think I will do a set of painted coasters next, in between all the other things I want to get done haha!

I’ve had some greek yog and strawberries for breakfast.

Well done Izzy! It looks great, I looked yesterday but didn’t get the time to comment on it 🙂 Well done and keep going 🙂

Greek yogurt and strawberries here too! But I’m having a few nuts with mine 🙂

Looking forward to my key ring Izzy – thought I’d help you kick off with a speedy start!
I did look at the butterfly one so it left you with more things on the site, but I liked the dragonfly one best 🙂

aw thankyou Frog that was such a nice thought! I posted it yesterday so you should have it soon 🙂

I love dragonflies too, I’m working on a set of painted coasters featuring a dreamcatcher, butterflies and dragonflies too. I had hoped to get some more done last night but ended up sitting with my daughter who had got herself upset about something so we sat and talked and hugged. What else can anyone do?

I told her that adults always seem like they know what they are doing but actually I didn’t know what to do or say for her, but everyone was different and it was ok to be sad sometimes, ok to cry, and she should do what felt right for her. After about an hour I suggested she try to distract herself to sleep with an audio book because I suspect she was all set to ruminate for hours and it was one of a few things I KNEW would not help. She is tired this morning but seems happier.

Hubby and I were out for lunch yesterday so BSD wasn’t easy. I compromised – we both chose chicken breast with BBQ sauce and cheese in a bun with chips. I decided to have the chips but not the bun. I ate the chicken and salad first and ended up only eating half of the chips in the end so not too bad really.

not sure what today will bring but I bought a cauliflower yesterday thinking of cauli pizza so I might make that for dinner later. Probably shake for breakfast – no idea for lunch.

Today I want to clean my grill pan – never fun lol. I also need to give my van a tidy up – also never fun. I will also find out how much my car is going to cost me to put through the MOT as it failed yesterday. I knew I was going to need tyres so had that in mind but it also needs a spring, so they are calling today with a price. Ordinarily I’d not be too bothered about having the car off the road as I don’t really need it much but with my parents moving this month I want to be available to help if I can with packing or unpacking etc. My car is also due for a timing belt and service so it’s going to be an expensive few months. Oh well! we’re also getting my son a new bed as well. I may as well file for bankruptcy lol.

son’s bed about £300
Cost to get car through MOT £330
cost for the big service it needs about £250
cost for timing belt about £300
Son has his birthday in October as well and then it will be christmas!

I’m trying to remind myself that we have all we need and although it is going to be tight for the rest of this year really, by next summer my son will be heading to school and our childcare bill will reduce a fair bit.

If I wasn’t so far away from my family I’d get rid of the car, it’s an expensive luxury when I have the van for work. I just can’t imagine not having a car though and having to get to my family in a rush. It takes 90 minutes to drive but would take 3 or more hours on public transport with at least one change. I’d miss it for my stone circle and castle trips too but I’ve favoured spending my free time in my den recently anyway lol.

Enough of the complaining, I’ve dropped my son off for his morning at nursery and I’ve just had a BSD friendly pudding for breakfast lol. I had some double cream that needed using so I whipped up 4 tbsp cream and added 4 small strawberries, a little sweetner and a few dark chocolate chips. It was lush – expensive for calories at 311 but only 7.3g carbs 🙂

Old diet habits die hard, I’m sat here feeling like I cheated – but actually there was nothing wrong in having that for breakfast, it’s only that we are conditioned to view it as a pudding, a treat, something naughty. It was no less healthful that my usual yoghurt or shake, and a few chocolate chips in moderation are surely fine.

We had cauli pizza last night topped with tomato puree, chorizo, pepperoni and cheese twas yummy. No idea how many calories that was mind you I didn’t count. Not sure what to have today for lunch or dinner – I’ll go rummage I think. I’ve been a bit disorganised lately.

Well I’ve got a set of coasters that need varnishing so I better get along. I’ll post a pic on my blog later 🙂

I want to have another go at a phoenix as well I’ve watched a tutorial for painting a hummingbird and I thought I could modify that a little to make a nicer phoenix than I managed last time.

Seriously I could lock myself up there for about a month and still not get through the list of things I want to make and paint! lol. Such fun it is though. My escape.

OH BOY! Do not get me wild up on fixing timing belts on my Volvo (Very Odd looking vehicular Object). My car would not charge. i thought it was the alternator. Guess what!? it was the regulator. That is not suppose to break. 125000 miles on it and it breaks!!! 800 bux down the drain. Plus another 600 for brakes and rotors!

Maybe i should not have done my adventure in NYC this 2 weeks! But, I love the US OPEN! So, that is life! Djokovich will definitely win tonight! It looks like Andy Murray and Djokovich as the final match! It would be amazing if Del Potro would make the final match! It would be a great comeback from not playing in US OPEN for 5 years! He has some bad problems with the wrist. For athletes, a year in age in 5 years for us not so active people. Amazingly, Serena is still moving along! I think she will get the prize this year on her own soil!

Wait a sec, I went from complaining about cars to US OPEN. just a boring day for me. There is no way to contact customers today. It is Labor Day on Monday so no one went to work today for a 4 day weekend.

I am leaving FOX NEWS TOWER on 6th Ave from the oudoors concert they do every friday in summer. It was Twisted Sister performing. Now you saying who the heck is that?????!!! Well here is an answer:

http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-and-friends/all-american-summer-concert-series

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xmckWVPRaI

Off to Ashe Stadium!

Hi Izzy

thank you – arrived safely – it’s beautiful, and very sturdy
Lots of good fortune with the new venture!

Glad to hear it arrived safely and you like it Frog! you are welcome and thanks again for being my first customer 🙂

There is a bid on one of the keyrings I listed on ebay as well so hopefully one way and another I will be able to sell a few. I’m still enjoying making things anyway. I finished varnishing the coaster set and I’m really pleased with how they turned out but I haven’t photographed them yet to post on my blog. I don’t think I will try to sell them though I have a friend who has recently moved and I think she would like them so it can be her housewarming gift.

I have also made two choker necklaces with coloured chain, a decorative bead and a skull bead, with ribbon at the back for adjustable fastening. For myself and my friend to wear to The Rocky Horror Picture show next week, I will be customising our matching tops over the next week as well, I’m so enjoying the process – not just making but thinking about making stuff, thinking about what might work and trying bits out, experimenting.

Sleepy time for Izzy, night all !

Hello my lovelies I am grabbed by the creative bug again and can’t wait for later when I can get up in the loft I want to make belts for our Rocky horror show outfits, and I want to try to add hoods. I have some black lacy fabric with a spiderweb design so all being well it will become hoods!

In the meantime I am pacifying myself by making an experimental soup – if it turns out nice I will post the recipe 🙂 it has chicken and tomatoes and butterbeans mainly… we shall see.

morning all, I made a belt last night, pink fabric covered in the spiderweb lace 🙂

My soup was good enough but not awesome, and we had stuffed courgette with pork mince for dinner.

I’m really taking a break I guess I’ve not even been weighing myself I just hope I’ve not done damage lol. I was feeling quite ‘fat’ yesterday but then I realised that I was wearing clothes that are too big, so two things I have taken from that.

1. I haven’t grown back into my old clothes.
2. wearing things that don’t fit, don’t make you feel good about yourself.

Today I had some greek yoghurt and some strawberries, now I’m having some of my chicken chilli soup. Not sure about dinner but I might look for a new recipe. Back at work tomorrow why does a week off pass so quickly 🙁

Hi Izzy,

Isn’t it great to make time for creativity? Hard to leave that and come back to the day job though! Congratulations on taking the first step towards your on-line business🌻💐🌻
Know what you mean about the way too baggy clothes, yet am still hesitant about wearing tighter fitting clothes as yet…need to get past that😄

Hey Imogen it doesn’t have to be tight clothes. Just comfy clothes in the right size. Even jeans and a hoodie look better when they are the right size ☺

Forgot to update this morning was a busy bee, I weighed in and have gained 4 lbs so my break from 800 is stopping! I expect its just my weight levelling but still I can’t let it go up far yet so back on 800 for me for the moment.

I’m sure it will come off soon enough although I do have two meals out this week! Lol

I had yogurt and strawberries for breakfast, have cheese, ham, tomatoes and cucumber for lunch, chicken and cashews for dinner I think.

I can do it ☺

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/1895/moroccan-chicken-stew.aspx?o_is=LV

Made that for dinner, with a few alterations, had quite a kick but was good.

I didn’t add as much salt, and I didn’t have garlic or celery – I thought I bought a jar of lazy garlic from the shop but alas… I picked up lazy ginger by accident. Anyway no garlic or celery but added a teaspoon of celery salt, and at the end I forgot to add the lemon juice. Clearly I shouldn’t be allowed in the kitchen! it was nice anyway haha.

I’m watching Labyrinth. A bit of 80’s cheese and Bowie in his prime.

hey buddies. My son was ill so I’ve been busy with him as well as trying to get our outfits made for The Rocky Horror Show on Friday 🙂 getting there and my son is better so normal service resuming tomorrow. I just popped in to say I have a new favourite way of cooking fish! I browsed a few recipes tonight before putting a few ideas together.

Mix up 3 tbsp lemon juice in a bowl, add a tbsp tomato puree, 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp celery salt, salt, mix it all together. spread it over both sides of fish (enough for 2 fillets) and leave to marinate for 10 mins. Add olive oil to a large frying pan, and heat it up medium-hot, add fish to the pan and fry both sides – I like mine a little crispy but that’s your choice. It was yum! I had some oven baked veg with it.

Hi Izzy
fish recipe sounds good, I’ll try that
I had courgetti this evening, with ham,, mushrooms and mascarpone with some parmesan on top – tasted great

hope that your son feels better soon – are all your children back to school this week?

I love courgetti!

My son is better already thankfully, he had a high temp yesterday and was tired and lethargic, he kept telling me places that hurt 🙁 I think he had that kind of all over feeling of pain that comes with some bugs. We spent most of the day snuggling, However he didn’t have any other symptoms and today he has been a lot better.

Our schools have been back since mid august, so my daughter is well established there and enjoying it 🙂 my son started pre-school nursery mid August too and he has been enjoying that as well. Time passes quickly – I remember trying to get pregnant with my daughter, my wonky ovaries meant 20 months of trying to conceive, so we started trying probably 2002, eventually getting pregnant in 2004, and it just doesn’t feel long ago at all!

Right I better get some snoozing done! Night Ms Frog! and all

Thanks for the recipe. Garam masala is excellent to use if you are not afraid of a little spice in your life! Coriander Cumin are two more I use vigorously. Good your son got well quickly.

Time to go window shopping at Century 21 near the World Trade Center. Browse now buy 50 pounds loss later. Men should always hold their wife’s hand when shopping in such department stores. Not for affection…… For making sure your credit cards do not get maxed out! 🙂

So terrible all the good stores are gone in NYC and US:
SYMS
DAFFY’S
Filene’S BASEMENT

Maybe Mens Wearhouse is next. They also own Jos A Bank.

hi I’m just checking in. I’ve been really struggling to the point I’m concerned I’m getting ill again.

My energy levels are increasingly up and down, making it hard some days to prepare food and be organised, I’ve seen my tolerance for the things the kids do plummet, and my motivation for stuff has pretty much slipped away. I know this hasn’t been long – just a few days, but it already feels like a longer time.

I’m ok in some ways, my friend and I went to The Rocky Horror Picture Show last night and I functioned ok. I was feeling tired by the end but not exhausted. Today the kids have been winding each other up all morning, then I took them to a local fundraiser I wanted to support and then a brief shopping trip to get my son a jacket. By the time we got home I was exhausted. My daughter wanted to hoover my car (trying to earn pocket money lol) so she was out there and my son was with her and I decided to watch something on youtube, 5 minutes in and I fell asleep! I forgot to take my anti depressant a couple of days this week but I don’t think that would cause this so it’s back to wondering if I have Adisons disease after all. I need to chase up the blood test as I still haven’t had an appointment and I’m heading back to the hospital for my next appointment on 5th october and he was expecting me to have had all my tests by then.

In other news between folksy and ebay I’ve now sold 3 keyrings. My friends who have seen the coaster set I painted as a gift have all said they know people who would buy them and I have ideas for more designs. Just not sure I have the energy to paint them!

Ok Positive thinking time… I had a nap today and will get myself tucked in bed at a decent time. Tomorrow I might be out visiting a friend, I will do some food planning and try to be organised and I will have another early night, then I have work next week so I will try to get proper early nights done the whole week. Maybe that will be enough. Next week my husband is home with our son so although I am working I won’t need to be up so early as won’t have his lunch to make and take him to childminder, and also it should be a less stressful week as I don’t need to stress about being home in time to pick him up either. The week after I am off for that week to be at home with my son (my childminder has 2 weeks hols) so hopefully all of this combined will be enough to give me a bit of a boost again.

Hi Izzy,

Hang in there honey… it feels like you have let yourself get a little run down.

Taking time to rest, doing activities you find relaxing, eating regularly and getting to bed on time will all help.

The work room will be there ready and waiting when you are feeling a little better.

I know it seems like skipping your medication is not so important – but when combined with the other physical symptoms it may play a small part – and if you have Addisons the effects of the condition may be contributing to that slight anxiety. It will be good to have that looked at in more detail at your next appointment.

Thinking of you and sending good thoughts and virtual hugs🌻

P.S. good news about the keyrings and the interest in the coasters😊

Hi Izzy
sorry that you;re not feeling great.
Don’t know anything about Addisons, sorry, but I do remember that when I had antidepressants a few years back, there were was quite a lot of concern about taking them regularly, and the side effects of not doing so, or stopping them too quickly. I think it only applies to certain brands, but do take care with that.
Lots of love & very best wishes with getting your mojo back.
SOON!

Big hugs 😊😊😊

Sorry to hear you are struggling a bit Izzy. Hold on in there, we are all rooting for you.

Hope you’re feeling a bit better. Sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate. You need to be kind to yourself and not try and pack too much in. A fundraiser and shopping is more than many would take on, especially with kids in tow! Take it gently. And I agree with Imogen and Frog: don’t forget the antidepressants. Forgetting a painkiller is one thing, but forgetting a couple of antidepressants is another thing altogether. Make sure you get the tests done. Whatever the outcome, you won’t be stressing about wondering what if, what if not.
Good luck and lots of cyberhugs.

I Love reading your posts Izzy, they’re helpful and inspiring. I’m just starting week two, after a bumpy week one. I’ll just soldier on and I’ll get there too. Xx

Hope youre feeling better Izzy. Please take care x!

Thank you PRINCETONIAN STUD for the Eagles track some days ago..brilliant..just as good live as in the studio and they make it look effortless! What a wonderful audience too.
Here they are doing New Kid in Town,my favourite,could be same concert X

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GrBfiMUcwbw

Meant to add,RIP Glenn Frey x a sad loss to this world x

Hello my lovelies, thank you so much for your support it really does help.

I’m feeling more like myself again and have mostly been on track with BSD, losing half of my gain so that is a positive step forwards, hopefully soon I will have a new low to report 🙂

I still feel BSD is great because on previous diets going through a blip like this I would have just given up – but I have not!

I’ve been mostly getting some chillaxing done – with the exception of last night when I went for a walk with my friend and her walking group expecting a much shorter walk than we ended up doing (8 miles!) Having said that I did enjoy it and wasn’t home late.

I’ve also painted some more coasters and I will try to update my blog later. I had some I had already painted black and have discovered that I can sit and chill using a silver paint pen drawing mandalas, which is indulging my art, building some stock to sell AND chilling me out. win win win!

I’m off to create a meal with mince… Thank you again, you are all awesome, and welcome to the new posters 🙂

HIii IZZY glad to see you x i was wondering where you were
That was some walk last night! I’ m glad you havent slid down the slippery slope and now back on course
Love the sound of the silver paint pen! X

Thanks yowzer ☺ I’ve posted on my blog so you guys can see the coasters if you are curious, the paint pens are fun but quite expensive and not sure how long they will last!

http://dragonflydreamseeker.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

In other news I’ve finally heard from the hospital and got my next test booked for next week.

In other OTHER news my dinner was awesome! But i don’t know what to call it. It was kind of like a curried cottage pie with butter be an mash.

Browned the mince with half an onion, a carrot and broccoli. Added some beef stock and curry powder and cooked a while. Cooked a can of butter beans then mashed together with some grated cheese and the other half of the onion and topped the mince with it. Popped it in the oven for 1/2 hour (in my case an hour because I had forgotten to switch it on)

I haven’t calorie counted it, but it was yumalumadingdong.

I am glad you are feeling better young Izzy.

The fish was yum, thank you

Great news that you’re feeling better – and have confirmation of the appointment too.

glad you liked the fish Ruth! I should really do a calorie count and post that and last nights dinner in the recipes,

Morning Frog 🙂

thanks to all for the kind wishes, it is so helpful.