Turned over a new leaf....

OK its more tree than leaf but you get the idea

My Mother used to always say just "turn over a leaf" when something had gone wrong or upset me, or if she wanted me to change a behaviour, like an untidy bedroom. In other words put it behind you and move on. So I am turning over my new leaf today (granted it's been turned over so many times it's in danger of disintegrating but who's counting)

I weighed myself yesterday and, whilst it is nowhere near where I need it to be, it was not quite as bad as I expected. In fact I'm actually 2lb down from what I was last time so that's actually a boost.

I have taken a couple of days to list everything I want to do and a timescale, a realistic one, that is achievable. I love making lists. Having done that, I am now full of positive energy and raring to go (it's that new leaf I'm telling you, it's got magical powers!) (and no it's not one of THOSE leaf's !)

Menu Planning done, shopping list done, list of things I want to achieve each day this week done, I am so organised it's like a military operation. So "Operation Arse Kick" has commenced with much approval from General Babes, who says the watch word is Proactive not Reactive. This may be a long campaign but we will be victorious!!! (Oooh I feel all Winston Churchill)

So once more into the breach or something like that anyway.

Motivation.......

...Where is it?

I am still CHAOTIC, I am still FAT or to be truthful I'm MORBIDLY OBESE, still trying to RESTORE ORDER, and still trying to GET ON THE RIGHT PATH with my life.

What happened to my enthusiasm for life. Why have I settled in to this mundane existence again? Where has the real Kerri gone? I used to be vivacious, I used to jump out of bed in the mornings eager to meet the challenges of the day. I had a purpose.

I've always been a bit chaotic but not like this, things are getting out of hand. Had visits from Shopaholly, her sister Rhea and my brother the other day. Rhea was full of motivation for all the plans they have for the farm. She acts like the Project Manager geeing them all up, organising them, and putting in to action all the ideas. Holly was doing her best (bless her) to motivate me health wise, and my brother was his usual self, full of fun and winding the bloody dogs up.

I love when they visit, and don't see enough of them, but we are going to try and rectify that. I suggested that we all get together for a pot luck day. Everyone brings something either, starter, main or dessert (Holly could bring her delicious cupcakes) and we can just chill and have a good natter. Hopefully the first one will be soon.

That horoscope trait about hating to be alone is so true. I miss interacting with people. I become bored with my own company too easily and I need stimulation or I just shut down.

Think I'm going to take a couple of days, and plan how to get myself back on track, re-motivated and try to find my lost mojo, as it were. It is my birthday soon, and I REFUSE to let this downward spiral continue.

Warning - ladies only post!

OK guys you've been warned this is a post about downstairs problems so if you don't want to know the score look away now!

Right, what is going on in my body! All my life my monthly visits have been bad. Getting worse after each birth. I have a 3 week, full 7 day cycle and it knocks me sideways for the first 2 days every time. Now I've come to terms with this, it's predictable, reliable, you could set your watch kinda thing.

However, last month my "friend" arrived late, visited for only 3 days, and didn't make much of an effort to join in the fun. Then 10 days later back she came with a vengeance. Hot water bottle, and painkillers time like normal, so I'm thinking must have been just a blip. NO, she only stayed 4 days and then took off again. Am I reaching the dreaded "M" word. OMG surely not. I do not want to venture in to this world of mood swings (Babes says I do that anyway), hot flushes, HRT and god knows what else.

I already have odd hairs sprouting in "manly" places i.e. fingers, toes chin etc, but as so many of my friends also do and I have an excellent pair of tweezers, I can live with this. The weight fluctuations and acne ( is my body hankering back to puberty, I mean really!) are not so acceptable side effects. The good news is I may be about to move away and leave my friend (after all I've been loyal for nearly 30 years) but do I really want to have to make new friends instead! I don't think so!!

Any wise woman words of knowledge or comfort would be gratefully accepted. Then again if you just want laugh your head off at my predicament that's fine too - just remember like the "Nike Belly" (or was it Reebok) it's "gonna get you" too! (and yes I mean you Miss Holly, I can hear that tittering from here)

Grumpy Chaotic Kerri signing off, so it's safe to look now guys.

Year One

Babes, Peanut and I went to see this today. We have cinema passes, which you pay a set amount a month for, and you can go to the cinema as often as you like. Over the years we have seen some fantastic movies, some good, some OK and even some bad but only twice have we seen a movie that we didn't even want to sit through.

"Kissing Jessica Stein" was the first and "Year One" is the other. This movie is the biggest pile of shit. We sat through to the end because Peanut likes Jack Black but even he thought it was pretty rough.

I love silly innuendo filled comedy such as carry on.... and Monty python but personally I think Jack Black's comedy is just too out there. Seeing someone eating (supposed) shit and someone peeing on their face is not entertaining in my view. The best bit about the movie were the outtakes at the end as the credits rolled.

There are probably heaps of people in blog land who will totally disagree with me but this my blog space and I'm going rant about it, so there!

OK ranting finished, on the plus side today, I have reached my first weight goal (No1. on my 101 list) of 1 stone off and am absolutely delighted, long may this continue. My water only days are up to (7/31) and I'm up to 98,000 grains of rice donated only 3,000 to go to complete the challenge.

I'm Melting.....

I've melted 12lbs off (in total not this week) and my week is not up till Tuesday. Am so chuffed with myself, almost my first stone. No1 on my 101 list lose weight.

Watched a movie today called 11.14 what a pile of trash. Concept sounded great, all these strangers lives interacting at 11.14 p.m only it was mega pants. Was supposed to be a thriller, but we were laughing at it thinking, is it meant to be funny? Trailer looked good so added it to my lovefilm rental list. Won't be recommending it to anyone that's for sure.

More 101 progress:
No42. Put all my Cd's on to computer. This is well underway, everything up to N is on and should be able to get the rest on before the end of the week. Think I might sell some of them once they're all on, get some extra pennies and free up some storage space.

No25. Drink only water for a month. Going well 5days down 26 to go.

Been waiting for 3 of the cats to come in for the night but am getting knackered so will try one last time , and if they don't come in they can stay out all night. No sign so that's it I'm off to bed and they can sleep in the rabbits hutch (the rabbits died before Xmas) Bloody dirty stop outs.

Snot away!

Have finally got up and got dressed after 4 days in my bed. Still a little weak but so glad to be up and able to move. 4 days in bed has done nothing for my weightloss I have only lost 1/4 pound. It's amazing the scales even measure it but it's still a loss. Did manage to re read "The Half Blood Prince" before the movie comes out next month.

Have completed recycle challenge, but as I wasn't out shopping. I only used 2 tetra cartons (not that this is a bad thing) However they are washed, squashed and recycled and I will be carrying on doing it so that's good.

As I am now feeling better I am being taken to see Transformers 2 this afternoon by Babes and Peanut. They have seen it and letched over Megan Fox but I still have to. (Not that I will be letching over Megan). Anyway will post again when I come home.

Batteries not included!

Am so chuffed I've lost 7lbs this week, Wasn't sure if I'd done it cos the battery was going on the all singing all dancing scales (these fancy ones that give you your weight, bmi, %of fat loss, colour of your eyes, etc) and everytime you stood on them it gave you a different reading.
Hubby and I were having a right laugh moving them round the kitchen floor seeing how low we could get them to go! However, battery now replaced and I have lost my half stone. Long may this continue and perhaps I'll finally make a big dent in my extra tonnage.

Here's Kerri ......

Hello Hello I'm back. So sorry for the blog lapse. Many things going on so you better get comfortable as it's going to be a long read. First of all thanks to those who have enquired after me. It's nice to think we have strangers who are friends and miss our ramblings. I know I like to catch up with whats going on with all of you.

Okay October goals - FAIL, FAIL, FAIL the only one achieved was no spending days. I actually managed about 9 (nearly double target) as I've not been out much.

Drinking only water for a month - this did not happen but not far off. Had a couple of slips, went to a church coffee morning and was so caught up in chatter that I'd had half a cup of coffee before I remembered. However have managed to drink only hot water at church since. Also went out for lunch with my son and took a coughing fit so gulped a couple of mouthfuls of his coca cola to appease my throat. Then on the 27th I had a blowout and drank a McDonald's Banana milk shake. I was feeling sorry for myself and needed a "bad for me fix". Therefore task failed £10 to charity. I will however, be attempting this task again, but not until the New Year as I need my hot chocolate on these cold nights.

Lose 8lbs - Miserable fail on this have put on 4. My heart has not been in it and have been comfort eating. This is very bad as Christmas approaching and do not want to look dreadful in Christmas Photos. Will tackle again this month. Will not be paying £10 to charity for this one, as not an actual task, but will give extra food to instant neighbour scheme, as a punishment for going off rails.(will make me feel better that at least I'm helping someone)

Start exercise routine - started but did not stick to it. Lost heart. Same with set up menu planning and stick to it - started well but fell by the wayside after couple of weeks. All in all October not a good month but I do have a excuse, at least it's not an excuse but a reason for losing heart.

As those of you who have read my previous posts know, my Mum died on the 1st of May, The 27th of October would have been her 72nd birthday and the 1st of November, 6 months since she passed. My Mum was an amazing lady (as are all Mums) but she coped with such adversity in her life. She was diagnosed with throat cancer at the age of 13, after extensive surgeries to save her life (all pioneering stuff at the time) she had a post operative stroke at age 16.

Never once did my Mum let her disability get in the way of things she wanted to do in life. She met and married my Dad, had my brother and me and did everything for us. She learned to drive and worked as Nursery Teacher most of her life. She went back to college and did a secretarial and shorthand course in her late 40's. She helped look after her grandchildren and all 6 of them have special memories of things Grandma taught them to do. She needed a lot of help in the latter years of her life but we were very grateful that, with the wonderful help from our GP's and District Nurses, she was able to stay at home till the end.

Now I don't mean this to be a depressive posting, I just wanted to tell you what's been going on. As with others who have lost loved ones, you'll know the firsts are always the hardest, first birthday, Christmas, anniversaries etc. I just wanted to put down in print what I was feeling as much to help me with my healing process as anything else. My Mum was a Mum in a million, and I miss her greatly. However, if she was here she would give me a good kick up the arse (well at least the ankle as she couldn't have reached my arse) and tell me to get on with things. It's right and proper that I should miss her but not that I should feel so sorry for myself. I have been very down this last couple of weeks and it's time I pulled myself together and got on with it.

So if you've kept reading to the end, thanks again for letting me ramble. Normal blogging will resume and I will pick myself up and dust myself down (adding more to the pile of dust that has accumulated on every surface recently) and bloody well get on with it. Time to re-read my positives list I think, then work out my November goals.

For those of you asking about my CREDIT CARDS, paid them off by taking out a consolidation loan, not the best way we know, but we were only paying extortionate interest charges not actual bills. This way we have a very low interest rate and are able to pay the loan off quicker. Definitely a boost in today's credit climate I think.

The car is back on the road, as is Peanuts, however he has also bought another car so that he can pass the first one on to his sister who will hopefully pass her test soon.

Happy 5th of November to you all, and if you're having fireworks be careful and ensure your pets are safely inside. Even our rabbits come inside tonight. Here's a photo of them in better weather.

30 days hath September.....

I am so glad they're past. September was good and bad. Some goals completed, but some that should have been started have not been. I am very annoyed that I have not started my exercise routines properly.
So October goals -

1. Start exercise routines
2. Drink only water for a month
3. Have 5 No spending days
4. Set up Menu Planning and stick to it
5. Loose at least 8lbs

Not been to great at keeping blogs up to date either. Will ensure I blog everyday, even if just a couple of lines.

Quick update on Horny Cat, She sneaked out today thanks to the dogs. However returned in the afternoon all happy so she has obviously had her fancy tickled!!!!!! Now have to wait 3 weeks to ensure no pregnancy. Damn beast!

Weigh to go Kerri.........

I am floating today. My return to Weight Watchers was rewarded with a 8 1/2lb loss. I'm so pleased with myself. I know that the first week is mostly water, but still Iam delighted. Thanks must go to Holly for encouraging me to start the "couch to 5k challenge" and also to my family and friends for supporting me. Really appreciate it guys.

Am off to get the kittens their first injections now. Hope they behave!

There she blows.......

Once more into the blue yonder, as I yet again join Weight Watchers. Thing is I know I can do it as I've previously lost 50lbs on the WW programme. I try to do it by myself but just fall by the wayside. Anyway here we go............

Went for my first weigh in and oh my god. I am not, as previously posted, a gazelle inside a hippo: I am a gazelle inside a hippo inside a whale.!!! However it's a "clean slate" as my leader says so I will again point my way to a new me.

Day 1 in the WW House..... Up bright eyed and bushy tailed, with my obligatory cup of hot water (so good for the complexion, as well as other bodily functions we will not mention). School mornings are always a nightmare in our house. Mouse is NOT a morning person and we all suffer. As a result, I never get my breakfast until after the school run. Theory being, I can enjoy it in peace and quiet (WRONG) the dogs are charging all round the house fighting over something. Oh look it's one of Babes socks, how nice!!!!! (No wonder my odd sock bag is so full)

I will be weight ranting often, therefore I am going to label the posts so as not to inflict my boring bits on unsuspecting readers.

Better go now, I fear Captain Ahab is approaching!!!!!!!!