i'm back...

I've had a year off of my blog. Many reasons, many changes, but i hope to resume my posts with a little more discipline!! its 9:40am on a sunday morning...for ages i couldn't remember my blogger password...partly a reason for me giving up (although i appreciate that was somewhat lazy!). But anyway, the point is, it just came to me!

I'll be back soon with a proper post!!

Free food....

There is nothing i like better than free food. I was discussing this with my mum today when we went 'blackberrying'. I concluded that its just because i am cheap. Why buy it when you can make it/grow it yourself. I make my own jams, chutneys etc etc. Friends are always surpised that i manage to do all this, whilst working full time, studying off and on (admittedly off at the moment!) and cooking from scratch every night. I'm also the soup queen, and often make batches for people at work. I firmly believe that time is what you make it, and i refuse to believe people when they say they have no time to do things. When i say that its just because i sat infront of the tv doing not very much. I openly admit i have a lazy streak!

So, as i said, today i went blackberrying. They are growing wild all over where i live. For some reason, i've missed this key fact for a very long time. It was only recently that it occurred to me that we must have them growing here since we are a semi rural community. When i changed a running route a month or so ago, i found them quite by accident! The first picture is the result of todays pickings. More jam. Yes, i know, i make too much jam. However, i do give it away, so i don't usually end up with too much. Of course, i have my own raspberries in my garden which are starting to come into fruit. I had planned on making some more jam out of those too. hmmm...Of course jam is also good for cake fillings so i daresay i'll have to make some cakes!

I'll be going back for more blackberries next week. The next batch will be for the freezer. I have a friend at work who has promised me Bramley apples (cookers!) from his apple tree...so more free food! Blackberry and apple crumble/pie and i found a recipe for blackberry cheesecake too. In return for his apples, i'll be giving him some of my tomatoes (if they ever start fruiting/ripening!). This whole barter system works very well :) i wish i knew more people who grew stuff - particularly fruit! Its a little annoying because when i am out running i can see peoples fruit trees with fruit hanging over the boundary lines of their houses..i'm tempted to pick it..but i know i shouldn't. When blackberrying today my mum and i saw an apple tree laden with fruit, most likely it will never be picked because you can't get to it because of all the blackberry bushes..how annoying..

The sloes (berries) are looking quite good too. However these shouldn't be picked for another month or two. I just have to hope that people keep their hands off them..because they are already starting to pick them! And of course, the sloes are free...they are growing beside the blackberries.
I was a little disappointed with my potatoes today though. These are salad potatoes called 'Ratte'. I had high hopes, however, upon digging them up today i found that so many of them were absolutley tiny. I can only think the weather has somewhat hindered them. The plants themselves sort of seemed to disintergrate, its been so wet and cold here, and living by the sea i am so open to the elements. Still, maybe i will try again next year. I'll make do with this crop. I'll make potato salad or something out of the very tiny ones!


Finally, my final bit of free food for the day, crab apples. My eagle eyed mum spotted what she thought were apple trees lining a residential road. It seemed odd to have an apple tree growing like this, but we decided to investigate on our way back home. All my mum had seen was that they were apples and red. Sure enough they were apple trees. The problem is, that the apples were a little bit higher than was convenient! I managed stand on my tippy toes to grab a branch and grabbed some. At this point one of the local home owners was coming home. He told us that they were infact crab apples. So of course, this means no good for eating as they are too bitter.

The only thing i know you can make from crab apples is 'crab apple jelly' which is like a clear jam. However, that doesn't particularly grab my culinary interest. I googled 'crab apple recipes' and still nothing but the jelly recipes. But one page suddenly made me realise how stupid i had been. Crab apples (or any apples i suppose) make pectin. The thing you need to make jam set. Eureka. Now, i have free pectin rather than buying preserving sugar, or the ready made stuff. I have read that you can freeze it too. So, my brilliant idea is to get an ice cube tray and then i have measured amounts of pectin for future jam!

I'm so cheap its quite ridiculous really.

Sorry, its been a while...

I always seem to be apologising for the length of time between posts..i have little excuse. Just been busy...!

Actually, it was my birthday 2 weeks ago today. Lets just say it was the last one i'll enjoy in my 20's. Was having a little bit of an issue with it for a day or two, then i realised that next year is a great excuse for a big party. Apparantly the trendy celebrity thing to do is to have a party lasting several days. Sounds good to me! Not exactly new though, my 21st was two days long!

Anyway, i spend my b'day in a really rock and roll way. I went to Kew Gardens. Its a huge placed stuffed with almost every type of tree, plant and flower. However, i love the temperate house and palm house the best. Tropical plants in this rainy old cold country. yes cold...still. Seriously...i need a winter coat for this summer, and because i've lost so much weight i haven't got one!

The giant waterlillies have always impressed me. This was only the second time i had visited Kew, but the first time hardly counts, i think i was about 6 or 7. However i have quite vivid memories of the giant waterlilles even then...

This is inside one of what i can only describe as a massive greenhouse! All kinds of trees and tropical plants grow here...

You can go upstairs in the green house and look over the tree tops.

I think we walked for just over 3 miles in all..but you are so busy taking in everything that it doesn't really feel that far. Even though we spent the best part of a day there, we still didn't see everything!!

I'll post more pics of the various plants etc over the next few days...

University...

I got the letter i have been waiting patiently for today. A little while ago i applied for sponsorship through my employer to be able to go back to university for one day a week to study for a diploma - used to be called an HND i think - its like half a degree i believe. In housing studies obviously - given my job as a housing officer. Its a 3 year course, which is a little bit scary. I find it hard to look so far into the future.

Anyway, i got the sponsorship from my employers which is probably the hardest bit given that money is always an issue, and when push comes to the shove, not everyone can be sponsored. I then had to apply to the university for a place. Today i got the letter to say that i had got an 'unconditional' place. Which is great, it means they are sufficiently pleased with my qualifications and work in the field to not have to bother interviewing me etc. Thank god!!

The course should start in September and its going to be tougher than i think i imagine. It means i have to do a 5 day a week job in only 4 days, and then a long day of study in between, not to mention the homework that undoubtedly goes with it....for 3 years. I'd like to see how i feel in 3 years, and if i am not entirely sick of studying, and my employer will continue to sponsor me, then i might as well go the whole way and go for the degree. We'll see. I've not even started yet!!

A sign....

I'm struggling with this whole weight loss thing. I've lost about 73lbs...in English thats just over 5 stone. And for the past 3 weeks thats where its stayed. I've fluctuated by about 2lbs for no apparant reason. This week i even put on a disheartening 1lb. Not much in the grand scheme of things, but with temptation all around you, colleagues munching on chocolate biscuits etc, it kind of makes you think 'whats the point'? I'm not going to fall off the wagon, i know what 'the point' is and anyway, i've come too far, but it makes its such a hard slog to the finish line..the battery powering the light at the end of the tunnel needs recharging i think. Today is probably one of my all time diet lows however. I breakfasted on slim fast and intended to do the same for lunch. By lunchtime i realised i was being stupid, but i was still low. Bless them, my male colleagues commented that i was looking pretty good for a girl claiming to be having a 'fat day'..but that makes no difference when you already have it in your head. I eat majorly healthily, i don't cheat, i run about 15 miles or so a week..i don't think i deserve it quite frankly!

I took my measurements when i started the whole weight loss journey last year, and for some months after. But when i moved house, i lost it the little card i wrote them on. I was a little bit gutted, because its important to see what i achieved.

This evening when i was looking for some paper to make out a shopping list, i came across a pad of paper that i haven't used for some time. Guess what fell out of the back of it?! The little card with my starting point measurements! Its like it was a sign to stop feeling sorry for myself and keep going. Have i come this far only to give up? Nope! I'm not a weak person, i just needed to readjust my focus...and in anycase, how long can a plateau last for anyway!!?

I couldn't believe the measurements actually. If finding the card wasn't a sign i don't know what is. I'm not revealing my actual measurements for the moment. I'm not finished yet. Maybe when i'm done i will, but for now i want to share my inches lost so far because as the guys at work said, i'm not doing bad for a fat day...

Bust - inches lost = 12 1/2
Waist - inches lost = 13 1/4
Hips - inches lost = 11 1/4
total inches lost = 37 inches all over!!! scary stuff.
73lbs lost -another 17 - 21lbs to go...

Oh and i have lost 4 dress sizes and am close-ish to the next (and probably final) dress size....

New shoes...

These shoes are it. The answer to all my problems. Well at least they had better be!

I've decided that i have taken this running lark seriously now. Time to make a serious investment in it. I cancelled my gym membership long ago, and so have saved myself a lot of money. Running is supposed to be free. Really? Tell that to my credit card company, i was pretty tearful as i handed over my visa card.

I did a long 6.2 mile run last Saturday. I was so SO proud of myself. I only started running in mid April, and now i finally am feeling like a sort of fit person (still working on the lean part though!). Saturday was also the first day when i felt like running the half marathon in November was actually going to be a possibbility for me. I'm not saying it was easy, but it wasn't as hard as it has been previously. 6.2 miles is also the length of a race i have in September. So i now know i can run it, and have over a month and a half to get my time to be better - and that was the other thing, i ran 6.2 miles 10 minutes quicker than i anticipated. Which means i am getting faster.

BUT...i noticed something during my run. My feet didn't feel right as the distance increased. I was basically wearing totally inadequate support for my feet and i knew it. Well i could feel it. I'd also sort of promised myself a new pair of trainers when i had achieved the 10k.

So, a trip to a specialist sports store was in order i thought. I never neglect my feet, because i don't want to get old and be suffering for being stupid. The shop assistant pulled my feet and toes around, got me to run up and down the shop (and the road!) whilst i fought the giggles. Just not used to having shop assistants fiddle with my feet really.

Anwyay, i ended up with the trainers in the photo. The fist time i wore them...i got a nice big blister. I am now not looking forward at all to having to wear them again. However, i know i have to. I know that in the long run (excuse the pun) that they are doing me a favour. I'm also pleased that the first run i did i ran almost 2 minutes faster on my usual midweek 3 mile run. So already - apart from the pain - they are good for me!

long time no see...

I got quite good at regular posting, then it all went a bit wrong!! I'm back now..promise...

The weekend before last i went to a 'Last night of the Proms' concert at a local stately home. Its an annual concert held in the vast grounds of the house and is usually a lovely evening out. Everyone takes a picnic, basks in the warm summer evening listening to live classical music accompanied by a 2 performers - usually a Tenor and a Soprano with lots of patriotic flag waving and unashamed bad taste union flag clothing and hats and lanterns with tealights for when dusk comes. Not to mention the few people who dress up in evening suits, evening gowns with candleabras adorning their plastic lawn furniture. Us Brits, we are eccentric at times. The last night of the proms is a defining British moment, a series of classical concerts are held throughout the year at the Royal Albert Hall in London. An everyman kind of a concert, not so outrageously priced that only the upper classes can afford to attend. It culminates in the last concert. Always very patriotic, always lots of flag waving, and tickets always absolutely unobtainable!

Ths is the alternative version. Nothing to do with the main concert itself, but these types of concerts have sprung up everywhere by private production companies.

Usually they are great. However, half the country is underwater, and those of us who aren't (and i am hoping it will stay that way, though its getting a little closer) are freezing to death in the strong winds.

We made the mistake of taking our usual salad picnic etc. I was trying to wrap up warm, and resorted to going and buying a hot chocolate. How i wished i had packed a thermos of soup, or a hearty stew or somthing!

It was still a great evening. Better luck with the weather next year eh?!