Flick just think what a relief your unnumbered number 4 is for a person with two school-aged children!

I’ve been re-reading the BSD book over the weekend including MM’s reminder to note down the 3 positives at the end of the day, so mine for today are:

1) Had a lovely couple of hours in the house on my own this afternoon – it rarely happens and today instead of being busy I just relaxed and enjoyed it.
2) When out today, I bumped into 2 people, one after the other, who I haven’t seen for a while. We only chatted for a short while but it was great to see them.
3) I’ve just been listening to Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of Over the Rainbow. I’d heard it before some time and was caught by it but didn’t know who sang it until I checked out CC W’s reference in a post today. It’s beautiful.

Oh Natalie, I think I hear a collective sigh of relief! Hope you get some downtime to regroup before your own studies resume.

I now have a fifth happy thought, my dog, a schnauzer just turning two, swam out of his depth for the first time tiday. He normally won’t go passed shoulder deep and watches forlornly as balls or sticks float off. After a couple of failed attempts today, he finally swam out and back. It was hilarious with much high paw paddling! What a champion.

Marie123, music is the universal language, isn’t it? I’m having
a wonderful time sharing selections with CC W. Do you have
any favorites?
Flick, your sweet schnauzer is not the only one who is taking
risks and exploring new territory! Much applause coming from
my corner of the world. 🙂

Have a great week, everyone!

Allie

Good morning. Well what a amazing array of positives! Caronl fantastic result, great hat Izzy and welcome back to this side, hope the black dog stays away.

10 bags MnM! Not sure I own ten bags but then I don’t hoard, in fact rather the opposite, and then I find I’ve disposed of something I really need!

Ahhh Marie, Over the Rainbow, for some reason it always makes me cry. Not sure if they are happy or sad tears!

SunnyB I feel like I’m ‘home’ again here. Sometimes I find the threads that constantly talk of weight losses/gains of the odd ounce here and there a bit demoralising, probably because I’ve been here so long! At the moment I need the positives of this thread so only dip into others occasionally. Gravadlax, I know this isn’t really the thread to discuss it, but would love a recipe or two.

Anyway to my positives for yesterday…
1. “You look better than I’ve seen you looking for years”. Yes that was a compliment even if slightly backhanded!
2. Didn’t get around to ironing but did manage to do my washing.
3. Have discovered Philadelphia Greek Style cream cheese which has a slightly yogurty flavour. Great with smoked salmon, on black pepper ryvita with a spinkle of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon. That was my delicious breakfast yesterday.

Have a great Monday everyone.

Good morning all!

I have been ‘lurking’ on this thread for a bit, since it was revived, and I must say it’s very inspiring.

Since my very successful BSD in Summer 16, I’ve been on maintenance and managed to retain my size 8/10, although I have to say that life has dealt a few difficult blows in the time.

However, I did notice that I was finding it tricky to maintain my low carb targets, and slipping back into the ‘late night snack’ mode, as well as portions which really didn’t need to be as large as I allowed myself.

I did feel at Christmas that I over-indulged with roast potatoes and other sugary refined carbs and it was time to get back on the scales before I found that my jeans were too tight.

So since January 13th I’ve been back on MFP, keeping calories to 900 or less per day, carbs as close to 30g as I can, planning my meals ahead of time as I find this works well for me. Also got back on the scales to find that – despite maintaining size generally – I was 130lbs, rather than my target 123 (was meant to be wiggle room below 9 stone/126lb).

I was encouraged to keep on this by my sister-in-law, who’s not been well for a couple of years with chronic fatigue syndrome, now feeling well enough to talk about diet (or way of eating I should say) with me.

I’ve certainly not told her to follow the BSD, but suggested she look at MFP to see what calories and carbs she was actually eating, and this has led her to focusing on vegetables rather than fruit, and – she says – thoroughly enjoying exploring slightly different recipes. And feeling good, she says.

And being aware of her resting metabolic rate and ‘required’ calories, as compared with what she was actually consuming has, I think, been quite revelatory for her as it was for me way back when.

Telling her about it all reminded me that it’s not all about pounds lost, but (as I always used to say here!) about the measurements – because after however many days of generally well below 1000 calories and 40g carbs, I have managed to lose a grand 2 lbs as my scales said to this morning at 128lbs!

On the other hand as I catch sight of myself in the mirror I can see I am thinner in the face, and my jeans are most definitely looser. I have a target pair of Jigsaw cigarette pants which I’d like to get into (they are just a smidgen tight), as well as a couple of skirts, so looking forward to seeing more waist appear.

Well, that was a long post ahead of my three positives

1) really enjoying exploring some different BSD recipes (added an anchovy fillet to my customary 2 spring onions/6 baby plum tomatoes/garlic/ginger/red chilli vegetable ‘sauce’ and it is truly wonderful)
2) off to Liverpool today for a business meeting, haven’t been there for years and years and years and years
3) glad that I know that it’s MEASUREMENTS that count.

Onwards, all of you, lovely to see you all persisting!

In a major grump today, but just wanted to say welcome back, Igorasusual, wonderful that you have been maintaining, recognised an issue and headed it off at the pass. That’s an excellent message for us all – don’t allow complacency.

My head is not in the right place right now for posting, so thanks for all the positive posted here everyone, it really helps and I hope I’ll be posting something here myself later.

1) got to Pilates this morning

2) dog shattered from walk and garden play so he’s asleep

3) just eaten a mega veg and chicken curry (mushrooms, 3 cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, red pepper, kale and left over chicken with 1 teaspoon curry paste and water, done in frying pan with lid over it so kind of boiled kind of steamed). Stuffed and healthy now!😄

Nothing to do til pick up children – going to read a book 😄😄😄😄

Good morning. Igorasusual good to ‘see’ you! Delighted to hear that you’re still maintaining you seem to be doing really well. Sorry to hear you are in a ‘bad’ place at the moment SunnyB if it hasn’t already passed I hope it does very soon.

Yesterday my three positives were….
1. Finished my jigsaw but started another! They can be really addictive…. I’ve started so I’ll finish …. which means other stuff gets neglected.
2. Managed another controlled day after seeing a 1lb loss on the scales yesterday morning.
3. Very frustrated by a hospital appointment that had been cancelled without my knowledge, because they hadn’t sent a letter! Fortunately, and the positive, because of really heavy rain, not my favourite when using crutches, I rang to cancel the appointment to discover I didn’t have one! So I didn’t have a wasted journey and wasted morning.

Have a good day.

1 – purple Kale, yum and also rare I eat a proper rainbow of veg. Made it into a curry with cauliflower and courgette. Am loving my curry at the moment.

2 people really noticing weight loss now, though it’s been stable since dDecember. Probably cos I now wear clothes that fit. Big chat about BSD in gym changing room off back of that

3 son had First trombone lesson today. At least, I think that’s a positive 😬😬😬😉😜

Thanks for the words of kindness, Verano. This time of year is not great for me, so it doesn’t take much to throw me off kilter and frustratingly appalling results on the scales threw me in the ditch. However, been giving myself a bit of a talking to and trying to pull myself back out of the ditch. Making myself identify some positives has to be a good thing, so here goes:

1) Loving the new memory foam mattress topper – definitely sleeping better.
2) Enjoying planning the upcoming half term visit of our youngest grand daughter – putting together a box of arts and crafts stuff we can do together.
3) Looking forward to a social get together tomorrow evening (even if it might further mess with my weight loss).

Ooh, Jackie – what fun! Trombone lessons!! Wow, good for you, very definitely a positive, for you, if maybe not for the family (in the initial stages at least!)😜

Sorry you’re a bit down, Sunny, but well done finding positives.

V I love jigsaw puzzles too, just broke up my latest this morning (I always leave them “whole” for a couple of days) so will be thinking about starting another soon.

My positives:-

1) A girlfriend whom I hadn’t seen since Christmas unexpectedly dropped in for coffee this morning – we laughed so much (she is an absolute hoot) that we nearly fell off the barstools in my kitchen!

2) Went on dog-walk with a friend (also neighbour) and her dog, and the 3 of them (my 2 and hers) ran around like lunatics, rolling in every patch of mud they could find, which was a LOT as it hasn’t stopped raining for weeks (obviously mine were led astray by hers😉🤣😝😜😇), and ended up looking like monsters from the deep. We were dreading having to clean them up but when I got home, o/h offered to hose all three down for us – yeah, result!!😀

3) O/h has finally embarked on installing the motion detector light I bought months ago for my utility (no windows, so black as the hole of Calcutta) so no more groping my way in to find the light switch! Also means that the dogs, who eat and drink in there, will be able to see what they are doing in future😁

I’m still in the same house I was as a child, so a fair few of the clothes I found in the attic and stored under beds were from my teens and early twenties. I now feel liberated in a strange way, although I also discovered a couple of items I bought in California on my honeymoon that fit again now, so they were retained. Now to see if I ever get round to wearing them.

Theodora just to clarify it was son not me who had trombone lessons not me! Apparently you can’t get a silencer for them😱 but it will be a while before a sound comes out!

New positive, dog has learnt not to bark at cat – through food bribery. Lucky he’s not on the fast800!

Oops! Sorry, Jackie – that’ll teach me to read posts properly instead of scanning /speed-reading.

Exciting for your son, but not too late for you 😉 I gave my o/h a beautiful acoustic guitar for his 70th birthday, after listening to him threatening to learn to play for more years than I care to remember. Result is that, just over 2 years later, he has become a very proficient musician😀 He says it was the best present he’s ever been given and he, and we, get an immense amount of pleasure from it – he now regularly plays duets with our granddaughter. 😀

1. It was my daughter Jasmine’s 14th birthday yesterday. My son was back at school, so it was just the two of us. We went out to lunch and a movie Pitch Perfect 3. We had a nice day together. I’m glad her ‘I only wear black and parents are embarrassing’ phase of about a year ago was very brief!
2. Her main present, handstand bars to practice gymnastics (they are little things like two footstools, the name makes it sound like Olympic Games equipment!), were supposed to be delivered the day before but I sat home all day for nothing. They arrived while we were out and left on the doorstep, a lovely present for Jasmine to come home to after birthday lunch out.
3. Both children finally back at school today after six weeks of holidays! I’m still getting over the flu and feeling very tired, I have a day all alone with nothing to do. Heaven.

Good morning. Yet another day full of positives to be inspired by. Theo I’m so sad I actually take a photo of my finished puzzles! I have done quite a few Ravensburger ‘What If?’ puzzles where picture doesn’t match the puzzle, even more frustrating! SunnyB glad you’re feeling a bit brighter I know how hard it can be for some people in the winter, short dark days and cold and wet, but just keep counting down the days to your trip to Turkey.

And so to yesterday…..
1. SUCCESS … got a cancellation at the hospital so instead of having to wait until mid-April, my appointment is now Friday afternoon.
2. Have perfected cauliflower mash I think. Just steam for 20 minutes so its not too soft, mash with whizzer with salt, pepper and butter and then put into an oven proof dish and bake for 15min or so. Tastes better than mashed potatoes ever did.
3. Read Esnecca’s ‘pep talk’ on another thread which has inspired me and given me the jolt I need to, proverbially, ‘kick myself in the butt’. So I’m starting a new thread for February.

Have a good Wednesday.

My positives for today are:-

1. Discovering soda water, a litre bottle of soda water with just a splash of cordial, (you need a lot less than you would need in a glass of plain water) makes a very refreshing drink to sip on all day.

2. Found a new free standing cupboard for the kitchen which is just what I have been looking for a while in a local agricultural auction so was able to buy it for much less than I planned to spend on one, (now all I need to do is get the painting done in that room and get it out of the car and into the house by Thursday.

3. My cousins are over in the UK from canada, so am making plans to join up with them for an afternoon. – Time to hit the shops for some new boots and a new top.

4 The talk of overlockers and sewing has set me thinking. – I used to struggle finding clothes which were a good style for me, I have my fathers broad shoulders, which meant I used to struggle to find clothes which were loose enough across the shoulder that I didn’t look like the hulk, and the seams on the shoulders were not straining but were not baggy across the rest of me. Having got rid of the fat that was under my chin and across my neck I now feel I can be proud of the shoulder area, and my work life balance now is such that I could make some of my own clothes. Thanks for the inspiration folks.

This is definitely the way to begin the day with wonderful thoughts
and a “stop and smell the roses” attitude! ”

V, you’ve come up again with an excellent idea for a new thread.
I’ll be swinging by later 🙂

JGwen, being able to design and make your own clothes is an
amazing skill to have. Go for it, and enjoy your visit from your
Canadian cousins. New boots! Maybe you’d like to model them
over on the “Phoenixes..” thread?

Theo, what a delightful evening to be had, listening to O/H and
your talented granddaughter play a series of duets! Do they
sing together as well?

My positives are somewhat mundane by comparison, except
for #3.

1. Finished my delivery order for groceries early, so was able
to secure an optimal delivery time for Friday.
2. One of my favorites is on sale at the gorgeous fish market,
this week. Fresh sea scallops. They are so fresh that they actually
smell sweet!
3. Yesterday I spent a glorious hour on the phone with KazzUK!
I didn’t know if we’d have to muddle our way through the different
accents, but not only did we have no problems, but we laughed
together as though we’ve known each other for decades 🙂 Truly
truly enjoyable, and a great gift for me.

I’m just going to conveniently forget that my o/h just turned 10
years of recipes on my laptop to gibberish when reinstalling the
operating system. Back to the repair shop it goes….I’m in far too
cheerful a mood today to focus on it 🙂 🙂 🙂

Allie

Thanks again V, I don’t know how many days to the Turkey trip, but it’s approx. ten weeks off now. It will soon come around and before I know it, I will be counting days! I’m feeling more upbeat today and have had a busy morning, which I think has helped keep me from dwelling.

1) Spent the morning in the kitchen making low-carb brownies, which will be the second prize for the draw at the social event tonight. Have put them on a nice glass plate and wrapped it all in fancy cellophane, with a pretty bow – presentation is everything.
2) Repotted a couple of my orchids and gave a few a tidy up. Always find giving them some attention relaxing. Currently have twelve in flower and buds on another five.
3) Scales have started to head in the right direction again and I’m feeling more confident I can achieve my aim before the Turkey trip.

Finally, dipped into my Little Book of Wisdom and liked this, so thought I’d share: ‘Live in peace yourself and then you can bring peace to others – a peaceable person does more good that a learned one’ attributed to Thomas A Kempis 1379-1471

Found a diary I kept during daughters first couple of years and then son and daughters. I did it because it was one of the few things I had when my mum died when I was a kid and I was so happy she’d bothered. Also meant I knew a bit about myself as those stories all got lost. Well, I had forgotten I’d done it, only found it yesterday. So glad I wrote how happy I was to have them, as I tend only to remember how tired and overwhelmed I was. Actually, in between that they delighted me. Lots of anecdotes about their funny sayings and doings.

The moon! So bright!

Dog can hold on until after breakfast – only one early morning garden trip! I stand n garden with my black coffee whilst he does his business. Nice part of day.

1. I spent hours in the garden today, relaxing watering and strenuous clearing of over-enthusiastic vines and grass runners. Lovely cooler day for it.

2. Right at the end I disturbed a wasp nest and ran for it. No stings! (I went back out with a can of elderly rarely-used fly spray (I don’t like poison so I usually swat) and sprayed then ran again but I could still see at least one flying around later so I’ll have to deal with that at some point.)

3. Juicy beef rib roast in the oven.

Good morning. How good it is to see everyone enjoying the ‘little things in life’. I guess we all can if we just keep on doing what we are doing here.

So yesterday was a good day for me…..
1. Made a huge dent in my ironing although I still have a little to go.
2. Had my first attemp at drying herbs. I had some mint which I washed, dried well, and then put in the oven at 50C fan for 2hours. I’m not sure if it was worth all the effort or not just yet. I think it will depend on how long it stays fresh. It does smell really pungent though. At last I have found a use for my redundant chip/pizza tray!
3. Made a pan of pea soup, one of my favourites, even though it is a bit carby. I love soup, especially in the winter.

Hope Thursday brings lots of positives.

Envy you that dent in the ironing, Verano – mine is still piled high! Feeling on the up today and like you, I find reading the positives here a boost. Anyway, here are my positives for today:

1) Had a really good evening yesterday, with the social event being well attended.
2) It’s sunny here today, which always lifts the mood.
3) Bought some super fresh Jerusalem artichoke and squash from the local farmers market today, which I think I’ll make into a yummy soup.

Am I the only person in the world who enjoys ironing? 😉

My positives :-

1) Enjoyed 90 mins of ironing today.
2) Absorbed and enjoyed the wonderful, fresh linen smell of the ironing.
3) Took immense pleasure in seeing and smelling a huge pile of freshly ironed linen/clothes.

I’m kind of neutral on ironing, Theo. I don’t like it or hate it (with
the exception of o/h’s linen trousers!). There is something
altogether satisfactory in spraying high thread count bed linen
with “linen lavender water” (for guests, only), though 🙂

Don’t mind ironing, in fact I find it quite therapeutic, but somehow I have something of a mental block about actually setting it all up – ironing boar, iron, water jug, hangers, etc. Crazy I know, as in reality this only takes a few minutes to do, but it in my mind it seems like a huge faff. It is something I need to tackle again soon though!

Not crazy at all, Sunny! That’s how I feel about unloading the
dishwasher. By the time I finish moaning about it, it could have
already been done 🙂

Ha! I’m not allowed to touch the dishwasher – o/h says I don’t have enough “spatial awareness” to be let loose on such things 😀 So he both loads and unloads it – no argument from me😉It used to be one of my domestic hates, right up there with cleaning the oven /windows 😠

Theo, you’ve got yourself a man among men! How clever is that?? No
spatial awareness indeed! I wonder if that would work, in terms of
my computer short comings??? The bearded one has already made
up his mind that I just “don’t listen”, so playing incompetent isn’t
getting me too far yet. He’s made it clear that he has no interest
in learning the iphone6 so that he can teach me how to use it. Worth
trying, but I’ll have to go back to the drawing board and try a different
tack other than “my brain just doesn’t work that way”. It needs a
good reprogramming 🙂 🙂 🙂 How did you find such a prince among
all the frogs??

My husband usually packs the dishwasher too. It’s the kids job to unpack it, which means things can turn up in unusual places, but better than having to do it myself! I’m not keen on housework, I’d rather be out in the garden. And I never iron! I buy clothes that don’t need ironing – I mainly wear Tshirts and jeans or shorts. Of course that may change when I return to the workforce hopefully later this year. If my husband wants ironed shirts he does them himself. The only housework I really like is grocery shopping and cooking. But shopping is less fun now I can’t buy whatever I want.

One of my favourite household tasks is folding line dried laundry – that wonderful smell of fresh air and sunshine.

1. It is perfect weather here at the moment for lovely long walks with the dog, and
2. I am definitely getting fitter as well as lighter, hills are not so hard and after effort, my heart rate recovers quickly. It makes exercise so much more pleasurable
3. Just finishing up my second 36 hour fast.

Hey, Allie – did I miss that you actually have purchased a new iphone at last? If so, at least in the UK, you can go into any Apple store and they will give you a lesson. That way you can cut the bearded one (mine’s a bearded one too) out of the loop and just totally amaze him with your technological brilliance🤣

My frog only turned into a prince when I was laid up for 6 whole months 10 years ago and he had to do everything around the house – think he suddenly appreciated just how much I did to make the home run smoothly!😃 Didn’t last of course ☹ and once I was up and about again, normal (maid) service was resumed – apart from the dishwasher, which he still takes pride in dealing with – he reckons he can get twice as much into it because he is so “spatially aware”. I’m not arguing!!

BTW my bearded one tries the “incompetence” trick with me over anything he doesn’t want to do, and it doesn’t wash with me either so, whilst I know I should stand firm with the sisterhood, I can see where your bearded one coming from.🤓

Theo, we continue to walk around in each others shoes..it does make
me laugh in delight, however! Does your husband know where to find
things in his own home ? 🙂 As in “Where are the lightbulbs? Where
are the batteries?…Where is the address book?” Any day now
‘I expect to hear “Where is the kitchen?” 🙂 🙂 🙂

xxx
Allie

Hah!!! Yes, and I think we may have stumbled upon WHY? I think, every time your bearded one leaves your house for more than a few hours, no matter where he says he’s going, he actually jets it across the pond and becomes MY bearded one😉 That would totally explain why, despite living in the same house(s) for more years than we care to remember, he still doesn’t know where anything lives, poor lamb. It’s just jet-lag, and confusion about which house he’s in at any given time 😜 Not to mention which gorgeous slender wife 😛😘😙😚

BTW I’m laughing with delight too😀

Oh and after that little bit of nonsense above, I quite forgot my positives for today – although it’s only 8am so there may well be more as the day unfolds:-

1) Was felled on Wednesday evening by a nasty little bug, and felt really grim all day yesterday. But it seems it was only a 24 hour one because I woke up this morning, having more or less slept the clock around, feeling fighting fit and raring to go.

2) Woke up to sunshine for the first time pretty much since Christmas – I can’t tell you how wet it’s been. So I’m going to head out with the dogs now in case it doesn’t last!

3) Going out to our lovely yacht club for supper this evening with group of good friends. Yesterday I thought I may have to cancel as I was feeling so grim, so now I’ll appreciate their company even more 😃

My husband does a lot around the house, his mother was diagnosed with MS when he was 15 and as she gradually got worse physically and mentally, he and his brother (and father) had to step up. Even though he works full time and I’ve been home with the kids (with study and some part time work) he isn’t “helping” around the house it’s his job just as much as mine to keep things running.

So with that in mind;

1. I have a lovely husband! 💕
2. I bought some new flowering plants for various places around the garden today, and potted up the fuchsia outside our bedroom window. When we bought this house two years ago the owners had lots of colour just outside the bedroom window – azaleas I think – and it was lovely looking out from inside but of course they took their pots with them. That area hasn’t been a high priority while we were putting the pool in, but now I’ve got two pink hydrangeas, this fuchsia, and a pink flowered shrubby climber that I think is an Allamanda Violacea/Blanchetti. Does that have a common name? I couldn’t find one.
3. The kids have got through their first week back at school with no major mishaps. Jasmine looks after herself. The first morning I forgot Aiden’s hat, the second day I almost forgot his lunch but remembered at the last minute. And he remembered to wear his sports uniform today.

Good morning. You sound so much brighter SunnyB and I have to say I feel just like you about ironing, I enjoy it once I get going. Sorry you’ve not been well Theo but glad it seems to have been a 24 hour bug. Again I’m inspired by all your positives and great husbands! Mine’s pretty special too, in fact don’t know where I’d be without him. Anyway, lets not get maudlin!

Yesterday was good even though I didn’t fulfill my two February resolutions of no chocolate or wine but today is another day and yesterday did have its high notes….
1. I made a courgetti puttanesca for the first time in ages and really enjoyed it although O/H had meat!
2. Saw my son for the first time since our holiday ….. always good.
3. Ordered an array of new trousers to try out. Just hope at least one style looks good.
Have a good day everyone and may it be full of positives.

Have enjoyed the banter about the how our OH’s contribute. Mine will do anything around the house, but there are things I can’t bear him to do and one of those is stacking the dishwasher,r as he doesn’t use the space to it’s optimum. Ironing is the other thing I can’t stand him doing, as it takes him at least ten minutes to iron a shirt! Have to say though, that since he took semi-retirement, he definitely seems to be doing less around the house – not sure how that works!

Glad you’re through your 24hr bug Theo and that you will be able to enjoy your w/e. As you said on another thread, V, ‘it’s a new dawn, it’s a new day …. ‘ love that song! So the wine and chocolate thing got the better of you? Give it another go – I’m sure you can do it. I’m sure you’ll find the trousers you’re looking for, Verano.

Positives for today:

1) Have arranged to have lunch with my daughter on Monday – haven’t seen her since Christmas and we only live 6 miles apart!
2) Feeling much lighter – mentally – today.
3) Looking forward to a quiet w/e, before things get busy from next weekend.

SunnyB you definitely sound as though you are back in a good place. I think lots of us have dark moments in the winter, probably, in tune with the weather.

So yesterday ….
1. The sun shone all day and in celebration my sun blind came out! Always a positive.
2. Trousers arrived so today will be another try on day and hopefully some of the new stuff will be fine. Also hope I will finally get my head in gear and dispose of those tops that now look like dresses!
3. Had my nails done which is always a treat.
Talking about nails mine have suddenly gone really ‘dry’ and although I’ve had vertical ridges for ages they seem much worse at the moment. Any advice and/or remedies gratefully accepted.
Have a good weekend.

Verano could you translate “my sun blind came out” for me? No idea what you mean.

I have really pronounced nail ridges too. I think I’ve always had them though. Might be worse now I’m not sure.

1. Weather today was heavy rain, then sun, then light rain, then really hot, then sun shower, etc I didn’t let it stop me – I spent about four hours working on the garden anyway and only retreated under cover when the rain was really heavy. The lighter rain was lovely when I was hot and sweaty.
2. The wasps are gone (after a couple of applications of spray) so I was able to finish that corner.
3. A long bath – in the afternoon!

Natalie I have an electric sun blind/awning, not sure what they are called in Australia, but it comes out when its sunny. Living in the UK though some days it’s in and out like a yo-yo!

My nails are really bad at the moment not sure if its a winter and central heating problem or just one of those things with no explanation.

On the ridged nail thing, to the best of my knowledge, vertical ridges are hereditary and horizontal ridges dietary. Like you Verano and Natalie, I too have vertical ridges in some – not all – of my nails and I know that my paternal grandfather had them and my father does too. I think the ridging seems to be becoming more pronounced as I get older. My personal solution is to periodically buff the ridges down, but some of them are too pronounced to buff out completely.

Positives for today? Think it’s too early to say yet, but I’ll hopefully revisit later to offer some.
Have a good day filled with positives everyone.

A good thread! Makes me feel more positive to read it – so that’s one of my three… ( for tomorrow!).
1.Yesterday I booked tickets for 2 events. Warhorse next week and, more surprisingly, for me, Britney Spears, who’s on in our local park of all places! (My youngest daughter is already expecting me to cop out and give them to her.)
2. I’ve been on this diet for 6 days and stayed strong!
3. I have made progress with the script I am writing and may catch a competition deadline next week.

Have a nice day😀

Nails – am currently seeing a chiropodist (will not go into details, not for faint hearted) and he put aloe Vera paste on my nail to stop the treatment drying it out. I will finD out more next treatment if you like and post a pic of whatever it was. Have a blue nail now as a result of the paste but he said that would work enough for th3 5week treatment.

Ridges – yes, I have them, and yes the chiropodist says old age. Though if you google it there’s also a chanc3 it’s a sign of some horrid disease. Obviously I googled it and then sought reassurance from someone who actually knew (wrong way round!)

Positives –

1) husband home from travels, am pleased I am pleased about that still.
2) gardening
3) relations with drama teacher (and friend) have warmed, after a hiatus.

Good morning. On the nail issue looks like ridges are something we have to live with and just buff out as and when. Jackie I had never thought of aloe vera but a good idea as long as my nails don’t turn blue too!

Yesterday was a bit mixed and it really is a struggle to find any positives. So scraping the bottom of the barrel as they say…..
1. Didn’t get to try on clothes yesterday but did order some new trainers.
2. Made a stirfry with left over chicken which was really tasty with lots of ginger, garlic and chillies.
3. Managed to go a whole day without chocolate or a substitute!
Looks frosty here today so maybe today is a ‘trying on clothes’ day. Have a good Sunday.

When my nails used to be dry and flaky, I used to use Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, which really helped. Have to say, since being on the BSD this is not a problem for me anymore and my nails have been amazingly strong.

Like you Verano, my positives also seem a little thin, but here goes:

1) Enjoyed a brunch of one rasher smoked bacon and a running fried duck egg.
2) Made a start on photographing my jewellery and compiling info on the items.
3) It’s another lovely sunny day here, which means we’re generating electric and not using off the grid.

Good morning. I have to say my nails are much stronger eating this way as well SunnyB. They aren’t flaking just feel dry so maybe I’ll try the Burts Bees cream.

Yesterday was again filled with ‘issues’ but none that were insurmountable …..
1. My ipad won’t charge so the positive is that I will be forced away from the ‘technology’ and I will find more productive things to do, like washing and ironing! Is that a positive!!!
2. Scales showed a downward trend yesterday so all good.
3. OH thought he was being kind in buying 5 bars of Lindt 90% but despite the temptation, I haven’t let one piece pass my lips. Very positive!
Hope this coming week is full of positives for us all.

Looks like it’s just you and me for positives today, Verano. Well done on managing not to eat any of the Lindt gifted to you by your OH. That’s some will power!

Have to say it’s not so tough to find my positives today, so here goes.

1) Had a lovely lunch with my daughter. Now that she is in a long term relationship and working full time, we don’t get to catch up very often, so it was a real treat. And we’ve agreed we need to make lunching together something we do more often.
2) Was a bright sunny day and although it was bitterly cold, we went for a walk too – lovely to see the spring growth starting to come through.
3) I have two tiny daffodils coming up in a container I have a rose growing in – don’t even remember putting any daff bulbs in there, so I’m really delighted to see them. Love daffodils, always think they look so full of joy and hope.

Better late than never:

1) Our new car … oh my god, it’s so easy to drive. It makes me very happy.

2) SunnyB, like you flower related. Georgeous tiny denim blue irises poking out under the acer.

3) lovely coffee with people I am still getting to know but really like