Well the healthy kick is working but very slowly, however after a visit to the North East to see my mam, my sister has inspired me as she's lost nearly a stone at Weight Watchers so this could definitely be the new me. I'll keep you posted.

I surprised mam with a visit as it was school half term and while I had Livvy for 2 days I thought it would be nice to go up and visit and it may be the summer holidays before I get up again.

Livvy came over Monday and Tuesday as Marc and Sam were off to London with the boys to see the Dr Who Experience. It would have been too much for my sweet grandaughter so she stayed with me and we went to the farm. I was cross with myself because I'd forgotten the camera so no photographs but we had a lovely time. We fed the animals, goats, guinea pigs, chickens, pigs. The ducks to a little sort of march out of their pens and eat the food off the children's hands as they stand in a row. Livvy thought this was funny. We then went to the hatchery where some baby chicks had just hatched and we got to stroke one. The lady rested the duck on Livvy's arm and she sat looking intently at this little chick - she then stroked it so gently and then had a little look on her face that seemed to say 'OK that's it I don't want to play anymore' and she pushed the poor little chick off her arm. It wasn't hurt thankfully and at least she didn't push it as hard as the little boy further down the row, he just took an almighty swipe at the poor little thing - obviously he didn't like it at all - chick was fine I'm pleased to say.
She then got to choose an egg after feeding the chickens and she sat with it on her knee before we finally got to the car and went home. It was a long day but it was fun.
The Dr Who visit had gone down great with the boys and they arrived back home on the Tuesday evening very tired but they loved every minute of it.

Anyway, it was great visiting mam even if it was just for a couple of days. We managed to get to the town to do a bit of shopping and it was nice just being able to see that she was OK and having a chat. It's usually about food. I think one of the things mam really misses is not being able to cook the things she used to cook as she is on a low fat diet. I phoned her when I got back today at 5 o clock and she sounded good. 2 of my brothers were going round to see her so it wasn't so bad leaving her.
Before I fall asleep I'm off out to help at church Youth Club. Hopefully it wont be too busy tonight with it being the holidays but you never can tell. We usually have around 45 11-18 year olds and the church is not a huge one but they enjoy it.

Time to be healthy

This most definitely has to be my diet and healthy eating year. I had blood tests done a couple of weeks ago just my annual one to see if my blood pressure and cholesterol levels were OK. I had a call from the docs to say I need to go see them which probably means one or the other is up. I've also got to go for an ultra sound tomorrow on my gall bladder so either way whatever the outcome it's healthy eating time. I've decided I'm not going to weigh myself though because it just depresses me (well not really despressed but if I don't lose anything I just wonder it's all for). Anyway I will let you know how I get on and hopefully with lots of encouragement I'll be telling you I'm feeling fit, healthy, my gall bladder's OK, my blood pressure and cholesterol are down, so here's praying.

Is this my diet year!!!!

Here we are almost into February and well January has just been a month of saying I'm going to do things and really not attempting to do anything and the only reason is ... too cold. Yes, here in good old England we are not used to harsh winters and I have to admit as I get older I find the cold seems to creep around these old bones of mine and I just want to settle down in front of the TV and wrap a blanket round me to keep snug and warm.
I have though decided this is the year of the diet - again this is due to thinking I have gallstones. I had a dreadful pain around my chest just over a week ago and the doctor gave me an ECG which showed my heart was fine, it wasn't just indigestion so she's sending me for an ultra sound on my liver and then said it could be gallstones. So I am reading up on foods to avoid just in case it is. At least it's got me eating healthy but I'd value your prayers as she said if it's not gallstones I'd have to have an endoscopy (camera down throat) and I have to admit I just don't fancy having that done at all.

As for the diet, I will keep you posted as to how I get on or rather if I get on ...

Holidays are over ..

Christmas Day was spent with my son, daughter in law and grandchildren and the rest of the hols with my family up North. It was soooooo cold. It's a long time since we've had that much snow and I'm just so glad that it has now all gone.
There was just so many toys around on Christmas Day I don't think the children knew which one to play with first but the look on their faces as they opened their gifts was a joy to see. I've decided too I need a new camera or at least I need to remember to take pics.

My sister got 3 tickets for her, mam and I to go and see Winter Wonderland at the theatre. We take mam in her wheelchair as she can't manage stairs so we had a box to ourselves and a great view. It was a lovely night.

We had a very quiet new year just mam and I. We watched TV until after midnight and then by the time we had telephoned family to wish them a Happy New Year we made it up to bed around half one. I don't think mam has been up so late in a long time.

All too soon though it is back to normal and work tomorrow but it was lovely.

Christmas Rose

Remember Egbeart? ... little Egbeart the sugar paste bear with a head bigger than his body but my first attempt at sugar craft. Well that was about 9 weeks ago and since then I've progressed and made a spray of Sweet Peas - now I loved doing these, much better than trying to get bear proportions right, and I have to say I enjoyed doing the flowers and they turned out rather nice although I am not sure what I shall do with them.

But now for the finale - we had to decorate a Christmas Cake. Now I can hear some of you say oh she's made the cake and decorated it. I hasten to add take out the word 'made' - cooking is not one of my things. If I can put it in a kiln and fire it then fine, if I have to put it in an oven - not so good ... so I bought the cake from M&S and then rolled out the marzipan and covered it, week later rolled out the icing and covered it. The result was OK but then I added what we had been working on for the last few weeks of the course ....... Christmas Rose and holly leaves, berries and some other named leaves .... and the result .... pretty good even if I do say so myself. Not bad for a beginner - so what d'ya think?

Happy Birthday Kristen

A big Happy Birthday for tomorrow to my sweet niece Kristen, who I don't get to see as the miles separate but she has a place in my heart always and I hope she has the most blessed birthday ever. (sorry sis, hope you don't mind me pinching the pic but it's such a cute one). x x x

I'm a sleepy head

I should be well and truly in the land of nod by now but I think I am just far too tired. I was babysitting (sleep over) last night and my beautiful granddaughter decided to waken at 11.30 just as I was going to bed. She stayed awake until almost 2 a.m. and it didn't matter what I did she just wasn't tired. Don't get me wrong she wasn't crying or screaming just talking and chattering to herself so loudly that she would have woken the boys so it was a case of in bed with me for a while, back in her own bed, changing nappy incase it was that, getting her a drink of milk but all to no avail. She just wanted to play and finally fell asleep just before two. My son came home from work at half two so just as I was falling asleep I heard his key in the door and woke up again. I was then just nodding off and heard Tom crying, looked at the clock at it was only 4 a.m. He wouldn't settle and wanted to sleep in bed with me and as I finally fell asleep I was awakened at half six by Ben getting up and coming into bed with us. My alarm went off at 6.45 which is when Livvy woke again. I gave in, got up, gave them all breakfast, then realised I'd left my work shoes at home along with some other things. Sam came in at 7.15, Marc woke then to take over and take the children to school and child minder so I left, came home, got dressed for work and started work at 8 a.m. Quite a full day really and here I am typing when I really should be asleep zzzzzzzzzzz oops did I nod off.

Had a lovely week visiting mam and she is doing really well after her stint in hospital. She still gets very tired but is beginning to potter around and do things. She's a tough little cookie.

I am now most definitely off to bed. Night all.