Susie's 2022 campaign

Hi Susie! I've just caught up with your diary from February and what a roller coaster ride it's been!! Can't believe what happened with your job after it all sounded so positive. I'm glad the move has gone well, and that you were able to find a tenant for the London flat.

Good luck with SW, it's worked for you in the past, I know you can do it :)
 
El how lovely to see you! You are very brave to read all those posts lol - but yes it has been a testing time, that's for sure!

Didn't get the job I interviewed for last week, but I've got another interview this Friday and am also getting a few emails from agencies coming through now - so comms work is picking up.

Otherwise I'm keeping busy with the house, getting to know the neighbours and chatting to friends and family far and wide. Still haven't done a shop yet so SW is imminent, just want to use up some canned stuff first.

Stay safe, ladies xxx
 
Yes thanks Charlotte, got lots going on - also got my Italian blog that I'm turning into a book, and I'm halfway through writing a cozy mystery, so might try and get that done, and then self publish them. Although why the world needs another "I went to live in another country and here's my vaguely amusing anecdotes about it" book, who knows? :D :D.

Plus I've enrolled in a free online course about Jane Austen, starting that tomorrow - so plenty to keep me busy!

Nailed the shopping last night, went to Aldi about 8.30pm and it was virtually empty - but with full shelves - so did a very pleasant shop :). Also took the car for a spin to keep the battery charged up.
 
LadyF!

What the actual heck. I have loved catching up with your goings on. Everytime I take a break something dramatic has happened :D

Are you settled in the new house now? Can you see the sea?? I want to move to the sea front. I just want to be able to go to sleep with the sound of waves. One day....
 
Stackhead said:
Everytime I take a break something dramatic has happened :D
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Stackie!!! How lovely to hear from you, just read your last two posts - so pleased everything is going well for the three of you!

Yeah my life is like a soap opera, and no mistake LOL :). I often think it would be wonderful to have a whole month where NOTHING happens - but maybe I need all these dramas to keep things lively lol.

I can see a little bit of sea from my back garden, which this morning has been transformed from an overgrown mess to a mowed lawn with completely clean and deweeded plant beds around the edge. Stage 1 of the garden makeover is complete! Not that I'm doing any of it, of course - I'm supervising two local lads who lost their jobs because of COVID - so it suits us all. They're also putting together flatpack furniture for me and some other jobs, so bit by bit the cottage is becoming more like home.

Also decided against a tall fence - because I've met all the neighbours now and they are lovely, and very kind - so I want to welcome them in, not keep them out. The girls have met the barky dog and given him a wide steer, and he more or less ignored them, so that's another worry gone.

And I've got a job interview on Friday with St Mungos, the homelessness charity, so a friend introduced me to a friend of hers who just happens to be a government adviser on rough sleeping. Wizard! So yesterday I got the complete lowdown on the political set up and funding, etc, and feel much more prepared for the interview (via Google Hangouts). Cross fingers! It's only for three months but is well paid so that'll do me for now.

Foodwise, I've been true to form and changed my mind again about what type of plan - a friend is starting the Med diet, so i'm going to do that too - really like all the food you're encouraged to eat. hopefully I'll be able to kickstart it tomorrow.
 
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Thanks GaGirl - I registered for both those sites/blogs last night - great minds! :)

The lads have finished all the jobs, they were amazing, and the bed now has its risers under the feet to lift it up - so instead of rocking myself to get up and off it, I can step delicately down :D.

i didn't do much work but I'm exhausted! Time for a nap lol.
 
It's a good heart healthy plan to follow - fruit and veg, oils, nuts, legumes, light on meats, nothing processed, dessert is fruit or yogurt and honey, etc -here's a simple guide and meal plan - https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mediterranean-diet-meal-plan#sample-menu.

Later - here's an even better guide in terms of amounts of various key things you should eat each day/week - https://www.olivetomato.com/complete-guide-authentic-mediterranean-diet/

I love Med food so think I'll adapt really well to it - think, lots of courgettes, tomatoes, aubergines, hummus, yogurt, etc :).

Well, it's been a good day - a bit late out of bed but I've done my presentation for tomorrow's interview, plus turned around a reactive press statement quickly and then started on a case study. My London handyman is sorting out a few problems with the flat (he is wonderful), and I'm getting kitchen stuff unpacked in the cottage. Happy days.
 
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Thanks so much team - unfortunately I got the vibe that it didn't go well, some very odd questions - but not to worry, the agency promptly sent through another comms job, which I like the sound of much better - and no 24/7 on call, bonus!

Otherwise it's been a good day - such a lovely welcoming community at the cottage, we're all nattering away over the back fences :).

Hope you're all well x
 
Evening all

Well, in a world first for me, I joined half a dozen mates on a Zoom party last night and it was hilarious - such great fun, despite the sore heads this morning :). Not to worry, my body will shortly be a temple LOL.

Getting my head around what the average Mediterranean day might look like -

B - bran flakes/oats with greek yogurt and berries, maybe with a few seeds on top
L - wholemeal/sourdough bread sarnie with avocado or nut butter and lots of veg as the filling; or a hot stew, mainly veg, possibly chicken or lamb
D - a big salad with full fat dressing - lemon/avocado/pesto/etc - and fruit and yogurt to follow
S - nuts, seeds, fruit, hummus and celery/carrots - and to finish off, a green smoothie

Gosh I feel lighter just typing that :D :D - but I'm really looking forward to the Monday start - and eventually I'll be making a lot of it myself - the hummus, yogurt, sourdough bread and some veg if I can get the garden sorted. Might do tomato grow bags, I haven't had much luck with actual plants in the past.
 
ladyfelsham said:
Evening all

Well, in a world first for me, I joined half a dozen mates on a Zoom party last night and it was hilarious - such great fun, despite the sore heads this morning :). Not to worry, my body will shortly be a temple LOL.

Getting my head around what the average Mediterranean day might look like -

B - bran flakes/oats with greek yogurt and berries, maybe with a few seeds on top
L - wholemeal/sourdough bread sarnie with avocado or nut butter and lots of veg as the filling; or a hot stew, mainly veg, possibly chicken or lamb
D - a big salad with full fat dressing - lemon/avocado/pesto/etc - and fruit and yogurt to follow
S - nuts, seeds, fruit, hummus and celery/carrots - and to finish off, a green smoothie

Gosh I feel lighter just typing that :D :D - but I'm really looking forward to the Monday start - and eventually I'll be making a lot of it myself - the hummus, yogurt, sourdough bread and some veg if I can get the garden sorted. Might do tomato grow bags, I haven't had much luck with actual plants in the past.
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Med food is awesome! Dr Michael Mosely does the Fast 800 diet which is based on Mediterranean food, have a look at it for some good meal ideas and recipes x
 
Hi Susie, just catching up now. Glad the move went well.
 
Oh thanks Sarah re the Fast 800 - I'm not great on fasting, tried it before, but I'll have a read. I'm really looking forward to the no calorie counting aspect. Got a list of servings for foods - veg 6 times a day, fruit 3 times a day, etc. Shout if you want the full list, anyone.

Nice day here, so good to get the doors open and let some fresh air in, despite the flies - but have got fly strip hanging thingies coming, which will help and the cats can come and go as they please. The neighbours have taken more of the shingle away and we're now just waiting for sturdy bags to arrive so the rest can go. The other neighbour and her grandson have taken all the concrete garden ornaments and huge pieces of driftwood (which I hated) - so it has been a real community effort :). Then it'll be time to lay the new lawn and (if I can afford it) lay reclaimed bricks around the edge and for the garden path. Also have my eye on an outside wooden table and benches that seem nice and sturdy - the company posts pictures of a bedford van resting on top of the table as proof of its sturdiness lol, so hopefully will take my increased weight too :D :D.

The next step will be to try my hand at growing a few veg - toms, peppers, spinach, cucumber - the stuff I'll be using the most. Don't hold out too much hope for a bumper crop, if the Italian experience is anything to go by, plants usually come to my house to die :D. Except for the weeds, of course, loads of those blighters, but am going out later to spray them with white vinegar.
 
I bulk buy vinegar in the cash and carry for the weeds. I use 4 litres vinegar with one cup of salt and one cup of washing up liquid as my mix. The salt is more effective but too much salt and nothing will grow. The washing up liquid hold the mix on the leaves
 
Morning all - had a lost 24 hours due to "couldn't be arsed to get out of bed"-itis. Have a feeling it was to do with taking too much magnesium for the RLS during the night (too much can cause lethargy and so on), so will have to find a new way to deal with the shakes.

Day 1 of the Med WOE today, and did the dreaded WI - have put on about a stone since I last weighed months ago, so it could have been much worse. Am inadvertently fasting this morning, just don't feel like eating, but there's a fridge full of green goodness that needs using up! Not going to worry too much about portion control for a few days, while i get used to turning things on their head (for me) by having a larger meal at lunchtime and a smaller one at dinner.

B - coffee
L - bran flakes, Greek yogurt, blackberries and a few flaked almonds
D - Greek salad and a wholemeal pitta
S - orange, green smoothie (if I can find the blender!)

Have a good one.
 
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