Weigh in

So farking busy! Just time to say, I put on 1.5lbs the other week. Last weigh in, I had lost it again.

I was pretty chuffed with that as it's the biggest loss I've had in a long time. Maybe I didn't 'really' put it on in the first place. Who bloody well knows.

So I'm back to where I was - 13 stone 2.5lbs. But BUT I'm going on hols on Friday. I want to try and be good. I just have to talk myself into it.

Week 1:   13 stone 11.75
Week 2:   13 stone 9.75  (- 2lbs)
Week 3:   13 stone 7.5    (- 2.25lbs)
Week 4:   13 stone 8.5    (+ 1lb)
Week 5:   13 stone 6.25  (- 2.25lbs)
Week 6:   13 stone 2.5    (- 3.75lbs)

Week 7:   13 stone 2.25  (- 0.25lbs)
Week 8:   13 stone 4.5    (-0.25lbs)
Week 9:   13 stone 4       (-0.5lbs)
Week 10: 13 stone 3.25  (-0.75lbs)
Week 11:  13 stone 2.5    (-0.75lbs)
Week 12:  13 stone 4      (+1.5lbs)
Week 13:  13 stone 2.5   (- 1.5lbs)

Total: 11.75lbs

Wedding Dress Dread

I am having a minor panic about shopping for a wedding dress.

We're hoping to get married in May and so my mum and I were planning to start looking at dresses in January. By that time I plan to have lost good few pounds.

WRONG. I've been informed that I need to expect that it'll take at least 6 months if I get a dress made and so I need to start the search soon. Soon?! SOON!

How can I start the search soon when last week, I put ON a pound a half and since then I've been doing a shit hot impression of Miss Piggy. I can actually do a really good vocal Miss Piggy impression but in this instance I am talking about the volume of crap I have been shoving down my pie hole. Okay, I've not eaten that much but for the past five days I seem to have thrown caution to the wind and have eaten what I wanted - and more. People- I am putting on weight, not losing it!

I finally got it together and yesterday and managed a whole day of healthy eating and a 6km run (no walking at all). I feel a lot better with just one day under my belt but one day of keeping on track does not a wedding dress fitting make. Far bloody from it.

And there is more to panic me.This is real woe... I'm going on holiday to Crete for week in 10 days time. What a problem - going on holiday to relax and kick back. My life is just horrendous. But I don't want to come back from holiday bigger than I am now  - and then have to try on wedding dresses. I can't think of anything worse. Even writing about it on here is giving me the heebie jeebies.

Bien Venue

I won't lie, there are going to be quite a few wedding posts over the next eight months. Don't get me wrong I'm not going to talk about weddings exclusively - far from it - but it's gonna be a big part of my life over the next week while and this blog reflects what's going on in my life...

As I mentioned in my last post I've been feeling a bit wound up about the lack of suitable (for us!) wedding venues. The shortlist was getting shorter very quickly as we decided for whatever reason, they weren't right. And to make me panic even more, my friend who got engaged about six weeks before TB and I and is getting married in August (months later than we are planning to) has hers all booked and the even thinks she's seen the dress she wants! 

So I kept on trawling the internet and got a couple of recommendations from friends. Ffion, raised a good point about needing to get married somewhere with a roof but that's yet another fantastic thing about Scotland - you can get married anywhere. We're also planning a humanist ceremony so it's even more flexible.

My best friend, and bridesmaid, was visiting me last week and when looking for somewhere to go on a rainy day I found a gallery just a few miles from home. Hold the chuffing phone, this gallery is in an old house and it has grounds. Lots of grounds. And accommodation in the house - and in other cottages! TB and I went to view it yesterday and we think it could be.... the one!

I love it and it feels so us. Get this, it's even got a Victorian walled garden! I need to calm myself though. It's not a done deal. I'm waiting to get a price from them and confirmation of what dates they have in May next year. There is also a small issue that I'm not sure how to overcome.

This venue, by pure chance happens to be about 1 mile away from TB's parent's house. Apart from having it in their garden, you couldn't get any closer. This isn't a problem for me as we live just 15 minutes away and so it's ideal, really. But I know my mum isn't so cool about it.

Traditionally it's the Bride's parent's that invite people to the wedding. They are they hosts. My folk's are on holiday just now so I texted them about it. I specifically asked how they felt about the location. Mum's response avoided answering that question. I spoke to her on the phone last night and she said she thought it sounded fantastic and we should push on with getting prices and so on. I asked her again what she thought about the location and she said “you obviously know me better than I think you do.”  So it IS an issue. She’s not making a fuss but  she’s clearly not totally fine with it. We've looked at a lot of places and this is best one for us by far so we're not going to discount it but I want her to be happy with our choice.

PS) I cannot stop eating. What the crap am I playing at?

Wedding hurdle 1

Life seems to be just a little bit bat shit crazy busy just now.

How is it possible to be this busy?! Work is just bonkers. It's great, I'm earning a crust but there just aren't enough hours in the day. We've also been away at weekends quite a bit, I've been visiting my nephew (oh dear god, he is ADORABLE), seeing friends in my old home city and oh you know - trying to book a wedding.

It's this last part I am finding the most frustrating. I know what I want but I don't think it exists. Or if it does it has been turned into a typical wedding venue that has been polished and preened within an inch of it's life - with a price tag to match.

What don't I want....

• A hotel
• A church
• A typical location that has a format they roll out time and time again
• A room that is the same for everyone bar a the flowers
• To get married inside

Really what we both want is a really fun and casual event. We'd love to be married outside but of course that means there has to be a back up in case the weather is wet. What seems most sensible is renting a big self catering house for all the wedding party to stay in and with a big enough garden that we can put a marquee up - which would double up as the wet weather back up.  There also has to be enough accommodation close by for everyone else.

I don't think that sounds too hard. I think that sounds quite reasonable. Well, I'll tell you - apparently it's not. And if there is somewhere that's like that - it's not available. Bookings are being taken for 2016. What the chuff? Three years from now. Insane.

Next generation

Life just keeps getting better.

Last night I became an Auntie for the first time! My brother and his wife had a baby boy and he is the cutest thing I have ever seen.

He's the first grandchild and so everyone is cock a hoop! I was on the phone to my mum earlier who informed me she was just icing a birthday cake for her grandson with '0' on it. Off her head.

I'm heading back to my hometown on Thursday to meet him. Can't wait!

Weigh in

By Jove, she's done it again. 0.75lbs off.

It was almost a pound but the scales settled on the lower of the numbers and I'm okay with that. I drank A LOT at the weekend - it was our housewarming party. I was really sensible with the food but I did have a little slice of cheesecake (my own, which is fricking amaaaazing  - banana and nutella or raspberry and vanilla) and on Sunday the hangover could only be managed with a few slices of pizza. I felt so sick that it was all I could manage just about all day so my total cals were probably not bad at all. 

I also was a bit snacky on Tuesday and Wednesday evening and got fired into a big big of prawn cocktail shells and some pretzels too. Naughty.  So that's the ying.

The yang is that I did two runs this week. One was 6.24km and the other 5.83km. I feel like I've suddenly hit my running groove. The longer run was all running - no walking at all. Not one step! I found the shorter one tougher but only walked for about 30 seconds. I was going to keep it to just over 5km but as I neared home but I had a stern word with myself and pow - I chose the slightly longer route. I've  not felt this good about running since I took part in the Up and Running course. I have 10k in my sights!

It's great that the numbers are still going down the way but I know that I'm not really happy with these tiny losses. I want more. Next week, I want to lose a pound - at least! It's been five weeks since I lost more than a quarter of a pound. My weekly average is barely over a pound. I want that number up.

TB and I are going on hols to Crete in a month. A month today in fact. That's four more weigh-ins.  I am going to be in the 12's. Fact.

Week 1:   13 stone 11.75
Week 2:   13 stone 9.75  (- 2lbs)
Week 3:   13 stone 7.5    (- 2.25lbs)
Week 4:   13 stone 8.5    (+ 1lb)
Week 5:   13 stone 6.25  (- 2.25lbs)
Week 6:   13 stone 2.5    (- 3.75lbs)

Week 7:   13 stone 2.25  (- 0.25lbs)
Week 8:   13 stone 4.5    (-0.25lbs)
Week 9:   13 stone 4       (-0.5lbs)
Week 10: 13 stone 3.25  (-0.75lbs)
Week 11:  13 stone 2.5    (-0.75lbs)

Total: 11.75lbs

The proposal

I was feeling tired and worn out.  A long weekend at a music festival and a five hour drive home had wiped me out. I trudged home after a 12 hour day, feeling a bit sick and generally ready to do nothing but sit on the couch, as agreed with TB earlier in the day.

I was on my my way home when I got a text from him.

I might not be done till after 6 tonight. When are you back? X
Nooooo! Getting into the station at 17.30.
I'll not be too late, I'll let you know
You let me know. There is someone on the train with honking BO. What do  you want for tea? X
Something delicious.

I got home, popped some chicken in the oven and started peeling a sweet potato (it was the best I could do - I was knackered!). I was about halfway through the potato when I heard TB come in the front door and he shouted hello.

"Hallooooo"
"Hiya", I replied
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay"
"Just okay? Can you come here a second"

At that moment, I did wonder why he was calling me into the hall. Normally he would come straight in to the room I was in. So I immediately thought he had something to show me but little did I know that when I turned the corner into the hall he would be standing there with a cat basket, with two tiny kittens inside!

"Oh my god - kittens! Two kittens! Why have you got kittens? Where did you get them from?! Kittens!"

I turned to look at him. He was looking right at me. Before he even said anything I knew. I just knew. "LoveCat" he began. Holy crap. This was actually happening.

He got down on one knee and I sort of just melted and sank to the ground with him, on both knees.

"I love you very much. I can't imagine my life without you. Will you marry me".
"Yes! You know I will. Of course I will" I half laughed, half cried intro his neck as I threw my arms around him."

And with that, we were engaged.