Category: General ramblings

A quick hello

Hello 🙂

Just a quick update here on how things are going (I have taken some photos but right now the camera is charging so no pics just yet). After our long flight to Miami (and sitting on the tarmac in Miami during a massive rain/thunderstorm because it was raining too hard for the people to get the ramps out or something) and then the longest immigration queues ever (with staff who were very friendly and chatty and not at all in a hurry even though the queues got longer and longer) and then a long drive, we made it to Key West.

We had a lovely few days there, relaxing and wandering around the town.  On our drive back up to Miami we stopped off at a turtle hospital which was really lovely and interesting, but also really sad because of all the turtles injured by human actions. Seriously- check out the website as there is a turtle (Sara) with an awful injury- loads of people are adding to the rewards as they hope to find out who did it. Good news is that we saw the turtle and she is loads better already.

Miami has been fun too- more wandering, and spotting film locations for Burn Notice (anyone else a fan?) and Dexter (well, first few episodes anyway).

Right, that is enough of an update- hope everyone is having a lovely summer (and staying away from those awful riots in the UK)- catch you later dudes.

Accepting what you have got

Hey!

I think often we are all good at dishing out advice, but not following it ourselves. During my trip away I caught myself in that very situation. I will explain. One of my friends has a lovely figure (actually, they all do!)- full in the bust, quite curvy and looks amazing in fitted dresses etc. We were shopping and she kept on picking up big tops and skinny jeans and going to another friend (who is very very slim and was rocking the skinny jeans look) “I wish I had the figure to wear skinny jeans and tops like you”. I said to her “you have a lovely figure, you should love what you have as I bet there are loads of people out there who would love to look amazing in those dresses like you do” and she admitted I was right. I was impressed with my attitude, but really, that was not my attitude. I too was wishing I could wear skinny jeans, but they do not suit me!

I also have been guilty before of trying on clothes, they don’t suit me, and so then I get a little fed up about my figure. This time I tried on loads of clothes in one shop, and guess what. Some of them fitted and looked good. Some fitted and did not look good. Some of them didn’t fit. What did I learn? Clothes flatter different people. And my ultra slim friend tried on some of the same clothes as me (well, in a different size) but some of them did not suit her. So I decided that I am going to try and make sure that I accept what I have. Last week I had a little crisis of confidence when shopping for swim stuff (we are going to Discovery Cove and so need swimwear for the day), but after this trip I went home, tried on the stuff I have and decided that it looks fine. I have decided that I want to enjoy my holiday, and that I should take my own advice and accept myself. So that is what I am going to (try to) do. I hope you are all with me??

Back to general stuff- last night I went to body pump and decided to have some heavier dumbells for the shoulders track. I typically find it really hard, but this track the moves seem to be split more and I have found it a little easier, so I went for 3kg instead of 2kg for each arm (yeah, not heavy I know!) and I was prepared to swap back half way through to the lighter weights, but I managed it all the way through 🙂 This morning I had a 10 mile run. I got very hot and felt like I was going super slow, but in fact I was a minute faster than last week. Still a few minutes slower than my fastest time but not bad.

I have been packing today (not taking any running stuff with me) and am getting excited! All going well this time tomorrow we will be driving down to Key West! Whoopie I love holidays!

I think we have internet access in some places so I might manage a few little updates.  So have a fab few weeks, and (Florida style) see you later, alligators 🙂

Pictures of Bristol

Hey!

I worked out how to save the photos, so here are a few.

Cocktails on the first evening (although I don’t drink so had a lime soda. The bartender had the cheek to tell me it was a boring drink!).

Chepstow Castle in Wales. We walked across the bridge to England and from there you had lovely views of the castle and town.

Me on the bridge! I think I was confused as we thought that the flowers started half way (in the English half) but in fact they were just on the middle!

And Highclere Castle on the way home.

So there you go. 🙂

Bristol girly fun and 7.53

Hey all!

Hope everyone has had a good few days. I had a lovely time in Bristol with some girly friends.

I had a run before we left, and then topped up on fruit by having a Moma pot with blueberries and strawberries. Yum.

We hired a little apartment which ended up being right in the city centre (although I was driving and finding it involved getting lost in the one way system several times and then seeing it but it being no right turn etc). It involved a meal out as ASK (I am getting over my mushroom issues and had a mushroom sandwich thing), Starbucks chai tea (and I was impressed as they did not try to make me a latte, as is what always happens here when I ask for a hot chai tea), carrot cake in a coffee shop, a trip to Wales, walks in a little welsh town (and up a very steep hill), shopping for pretty summer dresses, hunting for frozen yoghurt (failed at this), a trip to Highclere caste (and of course the tearoom there), playing games in the apartment late at night, early mornings (thanks to the seagulls and the fact the bedroom had no curtains) and so many laughs. It was such fun. I did not take any pics and one of my friends put some on facebook but I have no idea if I can get them off there?

Anyway, I was intending on going for a run when I got home yesterday, but we decided to go to Highclere castle (fans of Downton Abbey may be excited to hear that they film it there, and I was interested to know that it used to be home of the man who discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb) on the way home (kind of on the way) and when we came to drive from there the M4 was shut so we had to go up to Oxford. Anyway, my car does not have air conditioning so for the entire 3.5 hour journey I was baking, and had only had tea at the tearoom (no water in the car), and had a scone for lunch. I was so hot and sticky that I decided a run would probably make me ill, so I had a shower instead (and a walk to the allotments- you will be glad to hear that the lady has dug up her potatoes, but not the shed, and also took a little blackberry bush (I say bush, it has 3 leaves) which I found while digging up all the weeds and I do not believe she knew it was there- this annoyed me a little as I think if I had left all the weeds then she would not have known about it!). Gosh I am rambling today.

So, this morning it was magic mile time! I got up, changed and drank some water and headed out. It was raining hard. I had mapped out the route, which was a loop and a half, no road crossing needed which would make it more accurate. Anyway, I set off and after a few mins realised I was going too fast- I had to slow a little and then after that got into a bit of a rhythm. I could see the lampost that marked the end I sprinted towards it (imagining the crowd cheering me on) and I was SHOCKED to see that my time was 7.53. Crazy! My best 5k time is 28.10, so I was hoping for a little under a 9 min mile (as this is shorter I should run is faster), but I also feel like I have slowed down a bit recently, so I was not going to be upset if I was slower. But that was amazing! I had no idea I could run that fast! But then I had to walk home as I was gasping for breath.

I had my last Moma pot for breakfast after that, and it was much needed!

Now I have started packing for our holiday 🙂 Some of you may remember that at Christmas Andy and myself were supposed to be going to Florida and a few other places, but our plans were scuppered by the great British winter weather (see here). Anyway, we are off on Saturday for a slightly longer holiday (we added on a few more places as we can go for longer in the summer) so off to Miami, Key West, Orlando (and Discovery Cove- my surprise Christmas present), Savannah and Charleston 🙂 So our bed is now covered in neat piles of tops, cropped trousers, swim stuff etc. Pretty sure I won’t need jeans! I want to leave some space for some Old Navy, Gap and Skechers shopping.

But I will also be tempted by all the clif bars and peanut butter! So, I am after recommendations for stuff like that! What should I try to bring back with me??

And my last post had a lot of questions about the basil tofu! I get Taifun tofu, which comes in a 200g pack, in the chiller section (usually in the veggie section of that with all the cauldron stuff etc). It says on the pack you can eat it cold, so I usually have it in sandwiches and stuff. They also do almond and sesame flavour, which I tried but found a bit smokey for me. I think they do an olive one too, but I don’t like olives. I have bought it from Waitrose before, and from Ocado.  Hope that helps 🙂

Another WIAW!

Hey all! Gosh Wednesday is here already!

I loved the party last week so much (thanks Jenn) that I did it again this week! Although, as per the rules, I chose another day- last Friday! (As that was a day when I could actually take some photos).

Breakfast was some Moma bircher muesli;

After my 10 mile run I had a quick snack of a clif bar, mango coconut water and some watermelon.

After my shower I had half a lunch;

Rude Health Oaty thins with pb and raspberry spread, a pear and strawberries. (Half because I was meeting a friend for lunch but too hungry after my run to wait!)

Then I was off to Starbucks to meet a friend- I looked at the panini’s but nothing took my eye so for the other half of my lunch I went for a cinnamon roll (love those) and chai tea.Yum their chai tea is amazing. And I bought myself a tin of chai tea too!

After a haircut and shopping it was time for dinner– this was a quick and easy meal;

Some of the quinoa salad I made the other day (quinoa cooked with tin of tomatoes, spinach and red pesto, then mixed with roasted beetroot, peppers and courgette) and cooked it in the oven topped with sliced basil tofu. I have never cooked tofu like this before- I have always had the flavoured stuff cold, but this was lovely. I cannot wait to eat it like that again!

Throughout the day I also had a fair few pieces of chocolate covered mango;

Some I topped with coconut, and some was plain, and all very yummy!

An evening snack was some blueberries and a berry crumble bar (heated in the microwave) with a bit of cinnamon ice cream. Yum 🙂

So, the question is, do you like your ice cream melty or solid? I am a bit fussy- I hate the Mr Whippy/ McFluffy style ice cream- I love the proper scoop stuff and I love to let it melt a little. Mmm.