Thursday 6 January 2011

Shhh! there's still a Waitrose Christmas Cake in the kitchen cupboard

Well where did the last few months go? I really do need to get my blogging mojo back. Only I am not too sure where I left it...I did look behind the sofa and in the cupboard under the stairs (admittedly I was looking for a pair of red ballerina pumps at the time-still missing in action) but all I found was dust and a lonely mitten.



Still, hopefully this is a positive step in the right direction, no?


Did you have a lovely Christmas? New Year? Isn't it cold out? Really miserable?-just some of the questions I answer on a regular basis at work! Truth be told I am rather pleased it's all out of the way now and we can just Get On. I might be able to save a bit of money now as well. I am really hoping that this will finally be the year of the purchase of the camper van. I have dreamed about it long enough! I hope to be able to get some holidays to Cornwall in as well (or maybe just the one given the previous camper van thing) and practice some more sewing, maybe even go to a night class or two.


Plans are afoot to re-vamp the menu at the cafe too. Lots of warming winter stews and soups, new cakes and sandwich fillings. If anyone has any ideas they would be greatly appreciated. I just feel the need to stir things up a bit on the food front.


Other plans involve getting back to a respectable standard of running, where I was at the beginning of December. It has all fallen by the waywise and I am blaming it on chest infections and snow. The lovely husband and I were due to do a charity run on Boxing Day which was actually cancelled due to deep snow on Cheltenham Racecourse, and actually I was quite pleased. Because I probably would have only managed half of it. Now that the roads and pavements are clear of snow though we can get out again in the evenings, and start building up some decent distances.




Christmas morning,canapes and champagne,yum!

I always HATED exercise and sports at school, because I was rubbish at it and would rather have been baking cakes. My friend and I used to hide in the tennis court when we were supposed to be doing Cross Country (sorry Mum) and deliberately choose positions in hockey that meant we could stand by the goalie and watch the boys on the rugby pitch instead (sorry Dad)

And about 2 hours later......well done the lovely husband!

But since I started working for a living I did quite fancy the idea of getting home and throwing a pair of trainers on. Shame I didn't actually do anything about it throughout my twenties. Would have saved me a fortune in cigarettes and alcohol! But something else I needed to do for ages was lose some weight. I know it's a new year cliche for many, but last February when along with my colleagues I signed up for Race for Life I decided it Was Time. I didn't want to see yet another photo and cringe with embarrassment at being lardy in leggings. So I joined Slimming World. I bought a pair of trainers. I stopped eating biscuits quite to regularly (God how I miss you, biscuits) I swapped my full fat lattes for Skinny lattes and slowly but surely it worked. I have lost just over 4 stone now, and feel great. I just hope it stays off. Lots of lovely tasty food still gets consumed, there is still a bottle of wine on the shopping list and although in theory I probably shouldn't have inhaled quite so many mince pies over the festive break they were blimmin marvelous.

I am not trying to sound smug, it has been a long slog and hard work but I am getting there and it is starting to all make sense in my head now. Lots of people ask me if I feel different. But no, not really. I think because it's taken such a long time, and has been a gradual process, that I probably still feel exactly the same really.

Ooh! maybe I lost my blogging thing alongside an inch or two of thigh?

I hope I get it back. No, not the thigh.....

18 comments:

dragonfly said...

Fab post! So good to see you back here!

Beakery said...

The legend returns to her rightful place. You might of bloomin' well mentioned your husbands blog!

Oast Farm said...

Wow congrats on losing so much weight, what an achievement! I too found much more exciting things to do at school than exercise, (met my husband) and still haven't got an exercise regime (he is still a distraction!).

x

The List Writer said...

Red lentil, tomato and bacon soup is my favourite at the moment - but you knew that already! I am not normally one for eating the same thing over and over again, but I'd make an exception for this soup.

I think your running is amazing, and am very impressed. I have lofty ambitions to walk more this year, so I don't think my transformation will be as impressive as yours!

N xxx

driftwood said...

happy new year Anna, hope it brings you lots of happiness! love your feast photos, and I am oh so impressed with your running abilities! x

dottycookie said...

How lovely to see you! Happy New Year!

You have lost the amount that I realistically need to lose. And you've done it while owning a cafe? My hat's off to you, inspirational Anna! My journey's just starting and I'm just taking it one day at a time!

Riddlers cottage flowers said...

Well done you.Love reading your post.Lesley.

The Girl said...

Hurrah you're back!!

Glad to hear that things have been good for you this past year, I've lost 4 stone too and feel absolutely fantabulous. Am hoping to actually run the Race for Life this year (she says confidently!)

Hope you find your blogging mojo now, would be lovely to hear more from you.

kristina said...

So super to see you back and congratulations!

I need to get back into running one of these days. I was a cross country girl, but pretty positive I couldn't manage even the shortest course now.

And how I long for a camper van, too!

K x

monda-loves said...

ooh well done on the weight loss front, 4 stone is no mean feat, especially working around food all day.
After I left my job last year I decided it was time to loose some weight. I've lost 3 stone since June and like you, I don't really feel different just better about myself.
BTW, your tale of the Cath Kidston wash bag on the snowy M40 really did make me chuckle. We actually had a plastic sandwich box which I would have used if I had to!

Monda
x

Ali said...

Hooray! You're back. I can highly recommend Nigellas clementine cake. It's gluten free which might be a selling point, fantastically moist and actually gets better with age.

Perhaps if it was less good, I might have piled on fewer pounds over the past year. Thinking a move to skinny lattes is called for. And shifting my backside a bit more.

Lisa said...

Happy new year. You are more than welcome about the card.
Well done you on the weight loss, that's very impressive. Good luck with the running this year too.
Lisa x

Curlew Country said...

Well done you - 4 stone is fantastic! I'm trying something similar this year (but swimming not running), now the last of the Christmas chocs have gone. I'm completely with you on the cross country front, I hear they use it as a form of torture in some countries!

Ace to see you back blogging too.

I am in awe of your festive breakfast, how delicious does that look. And such a cosy kitchen to feast in too.

Happy Happy New Year to you and Rob, look forward to more bloggy action soon.
love Stephxx

Curlew Country said...

oooh I forgot to say - campervan! How ace.

Roll on Cornwall.
Sxxxxxxxxxx

blueberry hill said...

Great post and well done on the 4 stones!!!! Your Christmas foodie celebrations look lovely. Annie

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

What ho.. Garden Girl and Mr Garden Girl.. Thank you so so much for my oh so pretty Christmas card.. I was a total sloth this Christmas and failed to send any cards.. well what do you expect from me when I have been making the damn things for six months of the year!! However... the thoughts were there and I can now wish you a very Happy New Year..not too belatedly I hope.
I thought you looked stunning when you came to visit the fair in November and I really do applaud all the agony and self denial that you have endured to reach your goal. You are an inspiration dearie and I would like to say you have inspired me to give up the biccies this year.. but I am still battling the demons of the biscuit tin.
Hope to see you at a certain Jumble Sale.. hint hint?
Much love to you and Mr .. Custardo xxxxx

...Nina Nixon... said...

Hello and 'Happy New Year'

No suggestions here I'm afraid as I'm a cake fiend....and chocolate and as for exercise - boring.

Hope you find your mojo soon.

Nina xxx

MrsVikkitoria said...

Gorgeous girl, you really are amazing! 4 stone!! Crikey I won't recognise you the next time I pop into the cafe. Sorry it's been so long but well, won't bore you but life got a bit hectic last 8 months but back on track now, just with work thrown in too. The need for cash is such a drag at times ;-)

MD xx
(aka your Singapore/Gloucs friend) xxx