Fresh bedding

I hate changing bedding - it's a necessary evil, nearly as bad as ironing.  I fight with the fitted corners on the sheets try to tuck in the flat top sheet, as for the duvet cover its a nightmare.

I undo the poppers, try to separate the cover from the duvet without tying myself, the quilt and the cover in knots, then I re-do the poppers so the cover does not turn itself inside out with pillow cases tuck away at the bottom when I take it out of the washing machine.

I try to put the cover on the duvet rregretting I'd done the poppers up before washing it, then somehow twist it all up so the bottom left quilt corner is in the right bottom corner, I start again, very glad I do not have an audience for all this.

The reward for all this is climbing into bed with fresh bedding is one of life's little luxuries, if it wasn't for the fighting with the bedding I would love every night 

sweet dreams

xoxo

HD TV

I've been watching Great Barrier Reef on BBC One it has been wonderful to watch with stunning photography and footage of creatures on or around the reef.

There were clips of when David Attenborough first filmed on the reef in the 1950s filmed in black and white which made me think, we are so lucky to be living in an age of such technology for both filming and broadcast. 

My grandparents had a black and white TV for years which could not receive BBC Two, when they eventually did have a colour TV my grandfather would not watch any Programs or films in black and white as he was paying for a colour licence!  I wonder how he would feel watching tonight's program in wonderful HD with black and white clips highlighting such a stark contrast which we just take for granted them days.

It's difficult not to feel positive when watching the mantra Ray's beefing cleaned by the fish at the reefs beauty salon.  I just love the narration of David Attenborough 

xx

Day five - coffee or tea

I often treat myself with a coffee, cake and kindle whilst out, however the diet has started so I thought it would be no more treat time.  Half the treat is just being able to sit, relax and read my kindle having me time.  

So from the lovely drinks and cakes which I've found out the kcal for 

White hot chocolate - 484 kcal

Gingerbread and cream latte - 343 kcal

Sticky toffee latte - 451 kcal

Mince Tart - 373 kcal

Belgium tiffin - 460 kcal

The contents of this picture contains  857 kcal

It's now a cop of tea which is over 100 times less kcal

Tea - 3 kcal

So being positive the cup if tea may not be as much as a treat it is much much healither for me as I'm trying to only have 1200 kcal a day

Here's to a slimmer me .. eventually 

xoxo

Pam

Christmas bargain

My daughter loves lilies, so every Christmas Eve I buy her a bunch.  Usually they are just a little more expensive than the week before unless you buy the expensive "Christmas Lilies".  You know the ones I mean, they have a spray painted twig and fir cone - needless to say I avoid them. Well that was until last week, the local Sainsbury's had normal lilies at £8 and Christmas Lilies for £5 a it said so on a big sign on the bucket.

I genuinely didn't look at the price under the barcode on the sticker, I was a bit shocked to say the least when they scanned at £12 although it was the price I had expected them to be before I saw the price on the sticker.

I complained to the manager, even showed him the big sign on the bucket in the flower display.  The manager was very good and honoured the £5 price albeit he did quickly remove the big Christmas Lilies £5 sign.  

Daughter was delighted with the flowers and the are looking lovely 10 days later.  She was impressed with my bargain hunting as well.

Happy bargain hunting

Pam

xx

Day 3 - rain

I'm so lucky no to been affected by the recent floods.  It seems every news report for over a week has been about the floods - either pictures of houses and business full of water, the house with a sludge on the floor and water marks on the walls or various people discussing flood defences.

In 2007 I was a student in Leeds when the River breached the previous highest level but I don't remember the Kirkstall Road flooding then as it has done this time

In 2015 the floods have been so bad the "all weather" training pitch for Leeds Rhinos has been so affected by the floods it needs to be replaced, obviously it isn't as all weather as they hoped.

I hope you, my dear readers are safe and dry

Pam

xx

Day two

In October 2015 I'd seen hyacinth bulbs for sale in a lovely bowl with little gold stones instead of soil to plant the bulbs in.  Being a creative sort - not to say a bit thrifty I purchased a back of bulbs for a quarter of the price, then using a pyrex dish and glass beads and stones I already had, "planted and watered" the bulbs.

30 October 2015

I stored the dish under the sink until they started to grow before moving them to the windowsill and waited for Christmas.  

13 December 2015

The flowers didn't bloom until New Year, but I am so pleased with them.  OK they may not look as neat as those in the lovely bowl but I love them, plus I watched as all the roots grew.

31 December 2015

2 January 2016

New Year's Day

Today is the start of 2016, a T20 world cup year, a summer Olympic year, an European Championship year, there will be cricket & football leagues as usual.  Social media will be full of friends holidaying, partying, new babies, sad news, sporting events and cute kittens.  

Today feels no different to yesterday nor will it feel different to tomorrow but due to a quirk of the Georgian Calendar today is the start of a New Year.  Once the fireworks are finished and the hangovers cured resolutions will be made as 1 January is an excuse for a new start, mine is not to eat cakes, sweets biscuits etc at work - it can be all to easy just to have a biscuit or three since they are in packets at work, so unless I take it to work I won't eat it at work - watch this space to see how long it lasts!!

Soon the Christmas decorations will be down an everywhere will look drab until Easter when the daffodils bloom.  The main thing I have to be positive about today is my health and family.  I know it's a corny one to start with, but hey I'm allowed one corny thing to be positive about

Here's hoping you and yours have a fantastic, healthy & prosperous 2016

love

Pam

xxx