60 pounds later . . .

Yep - as of this morning, I have lost a grand total of 60 pounds. It's quite an impressive sounding number really. But I've only lost it physically.

Let me explain - my mental image of myself is having some difficulty catching up with my physical image. SO many times over the last few weeks, I have bought some gorgeous item of clothing and told myself "It won't fit yet, I'll put it away until it does" (I want to lose another 20 pounds). And EVERY time - it fits. It's like I subconsciously don't believe that I could be that small. It's quite a nice thing though - I'm not really complaining, and I'm certainly not one of those formally "big" people who carry on wearing tents. I'm enjoying seeing and showing off my new figure and I'm turning into a bit of a tart really :)

And that's my other (small) issue. Is it wrong that I am enjoying flirting so shamelessly with all these men who formally wouldn't have looked at me twice? Because I really am . . .

PS. The wedding was fab, my beautiful Maid of Honour dress fitted, the cake I made was lovely and only gave me about an hour's stressy moment when it wasn't setting properly, and my bridesmaid present was a Nintendo Wii. How cool is that! And I have since invested in a Wii Fit (bloody hell, those things are hard to get hold of) and am enjoying bouncing around my living room as a result!

I have a view!

First day at my new desk today, after they relocated my entire team over the weekend to a different floor. It's so nice - for the first time in my seven years with the company, I have a window seat, that is not overlooked by anyone. No-one to peer at my screen to make sure I am doing what I should be doing . . . and I am not sitting next to my boss! From my desk I can see St Pancras International, the British Library and the Emirates Stadium.

I tried to buy a George. I saw two peace-lilies yesterday in my local flower shop, went to get some money out and went back to find that some selfish person had bought both of them!

So today at lunchtime I marched up to Marks & Spencer in Camden, only to find that they do not have them either. Instead, I bought a sweet calla lily in a white pot.

However, it doesn't look like a George - far too feminine, so I have named her Clarissa. And here she is against the frankly flattering blue backdrop of my desk.


And here she is enjoying the view from the other corner of my desk . . .

I'm not completely insane, I promise . . . .

Slap me on the bum and call me a naughty girl

Well, what have I been up to over the last four months? Certainly not writing on here!

Lucy's wedding is now in four weeks - I am Maid of Honour, and have been rather busy helping out. Including:

• Making tiara, and bridal jewellery
• Making the wedding cake
• Helping to organise the hen weekend (which is next week - aaaargh!)
• Typing out 18 pages of Order of Service this morning - these Catholic services are huuuuuge!
• Losing 3 stone since January to get into my bridesmaid dress. Yay - it fits!
• Doing a reading in the church
• . . . and all the other stuff - trying to help finding cars, going to dress fittings (aw, she looked so pretty!), helping to write out invitations and on the hunt for dresses for the little bridesmaids!

Yep - 3 stone lost. If any of you are trying to lose weight, I can heartily recommend a website - http://www.nutracheck.co.uk/. It is fantastic and yes - I have lost a wopping 42 pounds since January. Clothes shopping is overwhelming now, and I have a mental list of all the pretty boys that will be at the wedding . . .

I have just been promoted at work as well which I am quite happy about (well, extra dosh is always good) and even better than that, they are moving us this weekend to a different floor. That means I no longer have to sit next to my hoarder of a boss who has a desk you can't see under the crap he keeps on there, and for the first time in 7 years with the company, I have a window seat!

My flatmate is still bringing back men to sleep in her bed, but categorically "not to sleep with". One turned round and said that he fancied her, upon which she got all upset and stopped talking to him. I wonder what she expects . . .

I am off out now to go and buy a peace lily to put in my new window at work. He will be called George. If you are good, I will post a picture of George in his new home tomorrow . . .

Yoga is a mind altering drug

Well, hello! Haven't I been bad, not updating in so long?

So what have I been doing since coming across the faintly pleasurable site of young men draped across my furniture? Not much really - had a quiet Christmas, and January was shite. No particular reason why - January is always shite.

One thing I have been doing, and I HASTEN to add is absolutely NOTHING to do with the New Year, is lose weight. I have actually been doing this quietly since about November, and have so far lost 17 pounds. Even though I lost my way temporarily over Christmas, but hey, don't we all. Cheeseboards are just soooo good. Not to mention the out-of-this-world Dulce De Leche & White Chocolate Cheesecake that I made . . .

Anyway, various reasons for this healthy lifestyle choice - obviously I am fed up of being an unspecified number of stone over what I want to weigh (nine and a half stone), because of the sport that I do and will be competing in this year, and because Lucy is getting married in July, I will get a fabulous dress to wear and I want to look Gorgeous Darling!!!

Apart from the staggeringly healthy diet I am following and the sport in which I am coached / practice 3 times a week, I am trying various other options.

Aqua Aerobics has been fun - nothing like an excuse to splash around for an hour like a baby porpoise. Lucy and I also go on an hour long walk every so often - doesn't feel like exercise at all, as we just gossip like the true girls that we are.

This evening, I went to a yoga class. I have done some Ashtanga yoga before, which was enjoyable apart from the teacher was a living breathing Barbie doll which annoyed me. This was Iyengar yoga - composed of holding various poses for varying amounts of time, whilst concentrating on breathing and lengthening muscles.

I'm telling you, they should offer this to all the billions of celebrities that end up in rehab, as an alternative to drugs. The lesson was enjoyable, it was gentle poses today and apart from the fact that for a lot of the time, I was arse over tit, it didn't feel strenuous and there wasn't too much discomfort. But now - I feel completely spaced out! I really have not felt this relaxed in ages - it is comparable to those times in my younger years, when I . . . ahem . . . partook of the evil weed. Without the stupid giggliness. And the munchies.

My arms are actually struggling to type now, so . . . good night!

Getting used to new flatmate, part 2

Strange men in lounge are now conscious again.

One walked into the kitchen, while I was taking my fresh bread out of the breadmaker (domestic, moi?!) and I recognised him as one of Sam's friends.

Then his older brother walked in.

The man is a God. I was almost speechless.

And there I am, wearing running pants that are falling to bits, and a black jumper with more bobbles on it than a bobbly thing. Such a good look . . .

The good thing is, he is the brother of one of Sam's best friends. Now, how can I get him to come back?!

PS. A half naked man has just walked across the hallway as I sit here typing. I guess not all the guests have gone just yet . . . .

Getting used to new flatmate, part 1

I have just woken up, to find men in various stages of unconsciousness draped across the sofas in the sitting room.

I have bought my breakfast back to bed. It is 07:45, and I really don't think they will be coming round any time soon.

Inappropriate things to say in front of children #1

This evening, myself and a friend went up to Alexandra Palace to watch the big fireworks show.

It was a pleasant evening, full of buying strange glowy things to loop round heads, hotdogs and beefburgers that you need to take a mortgage out for, and lots of people . . . oh, the number of people.

So Jen and I bagged a spot on the steps of the BBC Reception area - a perfect spot, where we could see over the heads of the hundreds of people in front of us, rest our backsides on the wall behind us and put our bags on the handily located windowsill.

Being a popular spot, various children and adults congregated on the steps in front of us, and I like to think were looking at us enviously in our prime firework observing spot.

The fireworks were fantastic, as they always seem to be up there. All done to classical music this year, and we were treated to various choons such as Romeo & Juliet, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean, the Flower Duet from Lakme (the BA theme sung by two women), and finishing off with a couple of bits from Carmen.

As the music crescendo'd into "Toreador" from Carmen (see, I know my choons!), Jen leant over to me and said "It'll be the BIG fuckers now!!!" . . . Quite loudly. In front of little children.

Oooops.

Goodbye to the old, hello to the new

I am feeling a little sad. Lucy moved out last night, and in with her fiance. I suppose we couldn't be flatmates forever, but I did feel a little woeful. We have shared two abodes for more than two years.

And now she has to go and live with a boy.

I now have to get used to a new flatmate (something new to me, as I have always shared with people I already knew). Sam is younger than me - eight years younger, to be precise, and from The North. She is very tiny (less than five foot), blonde, and seems to be very sweet.

I'm broody . . .

. . . for a baby.

Not the sort of baby you think (well, yes actually - but that's been going on for years, and if that happened at the minute, they'd have to write an extra chapter for the Bible . . . ).

I'm broody for a puppy. Namely, an English Cocker Spaniel puppy.

A little bundle of fluff that's something like this.



I'm obsessed. I've wanted one for years, and it's never waned. I must look like a nutter in the street when I spot a spaniel, as I gaze wistfully after their little waggy tushes.

I know. It's pathetic.

And the sad thing is that I couldn't even have one if I wanted. Current financial situations mean that although I live reasonably comfortably, I cannot afford a dog walker to come and walk my pup halfway through the day, as it is cruel to leave them for a whole day without any company. And currently, I also live in a flat with no garden. Wouldn't that make housetraining a joyful experience?!

However, in two years, I will be able to have both.

Two years. That's not that long, is it?

Stuff of nightmares . . .

Quite frankly, I find those Triple Velvet "Love Your Bum" toilet paper adverts disturbing.

You must have seen them - the one where the boss of a factory is a baby. Wandering around in a suit, looking like a miniscule 80 year old, saying (out of sync) "This is the stuff dreams are made of".

It's just wrong. It's probably meant to be cute, but I find it plain repellant.

Which shows just how wrong it is - I love babies!

I think it would make a fantastic villain in something like Doctor Who though . . .

Harry - the final chapter (Spoilers within!)

Well, I finished it.

I am known for being a fast reader, but I managed to eak out the first third of the book by reading a chapter a day for the first 10 days. Then on Tuesday night, I started reading as normal . . . and couldn't put it down. I finished it at 1.00 in the morning.

Well, what a read. Quite possibly my favourite one out of the series (that position was previously held by Prisoner of Azkaban).

I found it heart wrenching in places - when Dobby died I had a few tears in my eyes, especially when Harry was dressing him so carefully in clothes. However, I was most affected by Harry's walk to Voldemort with the Resurrection Stone. Those simple childish words "Does it hurt?" - had to wipe my eyes somewhat at that point. Maybe it's partly because I have lost my own mother, but I think the majority of people would have been moved by his mum telling him how brave he was being as his parents walked side by side with him to his inevitable death.

And then its glorious conclusion with Harry and You-Know-Who. Unexpected for me at least - I never thought that Harry would die, but never foresaw that finale. I thought there was definite Christian overtones in it as well, in a The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe kind of way. It will be interesting to see what the anti-Harry Potter Christian fraternity make of it.

But yes, I loved it. Its threads of relationship, family, trust, love, loyalty and self-sacrifice for "the Greater Good" are, I think, refreshing subjects to read about - especially in children's literature.

The only gripe I had was the epilogue - I read the last three words, turned over the page and went "Is that it? . . . . ."

Specialis Revelio!

It's arrived at last! And I promise . . . no spoilers here.

And hence will begin a weekend of not moving whilst I devour the last Harry Potter offering. Turning myself occasionally to prevent sofa sores.

And not before time too, I might add - there seems to be a hoarde of people out there, determined to try and ruin it for everyone. You can't move for spoilers! No more though - the time has come for me to find out for myself!

This time though I will try not to injure myself. When I got Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I sat for hours on my bed, cross legged with the book in my lap. When I sat up straight, something in my back gave way. After managing to stand up, I fainted. I won't be repeating that one . . . .

Feel the Pinkness!

OK, I have a little confession to make.

I know I bought a new plasma recently. And that was very extravagent.

But I have bought one more small gadget. I promise, it is small. And I did get a bonus last week.

So I bought something. Something shiny. Something pink. Something FUN!

Have you guessed what it is yet?

Yay - it's a Nintendo DS Lite! In PINK!



I love it. I am being sensible and buying (a couple of) games on eBay as it quite frankly is shocking how much those little cartridges are in "normal" shops. And my gorgeous Filofax, which is getting used every single day by the way, has come in very useful in listing the vast number of games I want to play, so I can cross them off as I find them for an absolute bargain on fleaBay. And it told me today on More Brain Training, that my brain is 28 years old! Impressive, considering yesterday it was 49 . . .

However, the pronounced girliness in me has espied this. A DS Lite that has been dropped into a vat of Swarovski crystals.



Now, this is a little excessive, even for me. But I crave a little sparkliness for my DS Lite. Just a crystal butterflly, or heart, tastefully done of course.

Any suggestions on design ideas?

And any suggestions on good games?!

PS. You wouldn't be getting the impression that I like gadgets? And girly things? Especially when said gadgets look girlie. Would you??!!

Right, this has gone far enough!

In my new, back to paper efforts, I am now eyeing up fountain pens for my Filofax. Two fountain pens. The cheaper one is a Waterman Harmonie in Cashmere Beige, at about £40, with a solid silver nib and silver accents. And a perfect match for the inner soft beige suede-y stuff in my Filofax.


The other one I have been lusting after is the Parker Sonnet in Verdigris, with an 18ct Gold, Rhodium Plated nib!! That's correct, a solid gold nib. If I got bored with the pen, I could melt its nib down for a nice pair of earrings perhaps? Multifunctional . . .

. . . and this retails at an approximate, cool £100. Much as I love its green shimmery inner glow (which would match the greeny outer cover of my Filofax), I cannot justify spending this much on a fountain pen. Even if I can get it for £50 off eBay. I have important things like Xbox 360's to save up for.

So I am sticking with the Harmonie, which I have seen for a titchy £25 off eBay. If I buy it, I will post pictures of it in all its creamy fabulousness.

Fountain pens seem to be remarkably popular still - there's a whole forum of users (sounds like a drug habit) over at the Fountain Pen Network!

Now I just have to decide what colour ink I want. Hmm - Black? Blue? Blue-black? Redgreenbrown, VIOLET! Sigh . . . too many decisions.

What a Beautiful Person . . .

. . . that Charley from Big Brother is.

Especially when she calls other people "Two faced weirdo's".

Arrange these words in the right order.

POT
KETTLE
BLACK
THE
CALLING

Sorry, I won't mention Big Brother again. Consider my wrist slapped.

Thumbs up to Filofax . . .

. . . for their fantastic customer service!

When I was browsing the Filofax web site, I noticed that the organiser that I have bought this week (the Eden Personal Filofax) was meant to have a coloured subject index, A-Z index and ruled paper, all in shades of blue, green and brown to match the colour scheme of the binder.

As you can see in the photo in the previous post, mine has a cream index (not subject, but numbered 1-6), a cream A-Z index and white ruled paper. I have also noticed that all the ones I have seen in Paperchase (where mine was purchased from) and WH Smith were the same as mine.

So, I decided to email Filofax directly to ask them if I can find the coloured indexes anywhere - being a visually orientated kind of girlie, I like things to match!

Result is that I had an apologetic email back within an hour, asking for my full postal address so they can send me the correct "fill" for my Fax!

Other news regarding my new purchase - I have become pleasantly obsessed with finding the best "system". I now have five coloured pens in my bag, so I can colour code my diary entries. I have four different To Do lists. Now all I need is a Telephone list so I can transcribe all the numbers in my mobile phone, without having to use up a whole address box, one per address tab so they can still be alphabetical.

Don't worry, I do have a life . . . .

Choosing traditional over gadgetry . . .

In an attempt to try and become an organised grown up, I made a purchase today.

What could it be?

Smartphone?
PDA?
New laptop?

No . . . for a change (as I do love my gadgets), I have gone down the traditional route and bought . . .


. . . . a Filofax!

A very pretty Filofax, in sage green and with pretty patterns on.

I decided I wanted to go back to pen and paper basics - there is something inherently satisfying about writing information down, particularly in this day and age, when it is all about tapping on keyboards, or mobile phone keypads, or bashing small screens with stylii.

I have even come across a very interesting blog, chronicling the writer's relationship with his Filofax, called Philofaxy. Bring on the Filofax Revolution!

As of the current time, my new toy is looking rather empty. However, Philofaxy has a fantastic term for what I have been doing today - Planner Grazing. Going through it and trying to fill in as much as I can on its pristine white pages. However, it is looking a bit sad and blank at the moment but I am sure it will soon fill up. I did remember with great fondness today my mothers Filofax which was almost round in shape and used to literally burst forth, every time you opened it!

I have to admit, there were some leather ones that I liked. However, at up to six times the price, I thought I would test it for a year - if I am still using it voraciously this time next year, I might invest in one of the sexy leather ones.

However, that hasn't stopped me buying a few bits and pieces for it . . . tube map, pretty coloured paper, extra to-do lists, Jot Pads (the orange "salmon" thing you can see on the left hand side where you can jot notes and then stick 'em in where you want) and a financial tracker.

So yes, now I feel very grown-up and organised . . .

The big, hulking, sexy, glossy black lump of 42" Samsung plasma has arrived . . .

. . . and it is beeyootiful.

Nuff said.

Big girls toys . . .

I am practically salivating with excitement. I feel like a small child at Christmas.

Why?

I am awaiting delivery of this gorgeous little thing . . .

Actually, not so little. More of a big, hulking, sexy, glossy black lump of 42" Samsung plasma. I can't wait!

Even more wonderful is that it more or less coincides with the release of Tomb Raider: Anniversary which is already on order! Particularly wonderful for me, who never played the original Tomb Raider, so this is a whole new world for me to explore. Although, for the ones who did play the first Tomb Raider, they have added some new puzzles.

I can almost hear the indrawn gasps of breath now. "A girl? Who likes gaming?! How odd!!". Well maybe not, but my colleagues certainly think that way.

Funny how I have no plans for next weekend, don'cha think?!

I didn't do nuffink

Why is it that I feel guilty if someone asks me what I did over the weekend, and I mumble "Well, you know, not much really. It was a quiet one."

I was discussing this with Lucy earlier, and as she said, you spend your weekend thinking "What shall we do!", when the truth is . . . you don't have to do anything if you so desire.

So from now on, I won't feel guilty if I have a day where I spend half of it in a dressing gown, watching crap TV, browsing the internet, reading a book and not even leaving the house.

I have weekends when I rush about inanely for the whole time and then feel knackered when I go back to work on Monday's, so from now on my new motto is:

"It's my weekend, and I'll laze if I want to . . . "

So there.