Hey guys, if you're still reading this blog despite the fact that I've gone AWOL for the past few weeks, then bless you - your support is much appreciated! What can I say? Real life got in the way again. Christmas itself was quiet, but the first few weeks of the New Year have proved to be just... well, mental. I haven't had time to scratch myself. Also, I've been having computer issues that would test the patience of a saint - huge f*ck off to the last man who "fixed" my laptop, and huge thanks to the lads at
Creative IT Computer Solutions in Mullingar who got this baby going again within a few days of me leaving it in. Little stars, ye are.
So, now - what's been going on while I've been internet-less? Has anyone made any interesting resolutions or taken up any new activities or lifestyle changes? For me, I only have one resolution, and it's one I've robbed from good ol' Willy Shakespeare:
That's it. Sure, by the time 2013 rolls around I'd love to be driving on a full licence (okay, just driving then), married (I am actually engaged, that's not me going into psycho "must find a husband" mode), and at my goal weight (whenever I have the balls to find out what my goal actually is). But I know this - my chances of achieving any of the above are greatly increased by being honest and true to myself.
I promise, I'm not going to go all philosophical now. Back to the silliness. I bet you're all dying to know what I've been up to, right? RIGHT? *tumbleweed*..... I'm going to tell you anyway. Here's... an update of stuff that's happened since Christmas.
1. Storage Wars.
I bought a storage unit for all my nail polish in Aldi, it's in stores now and it'll cost you 5.99 of your finest almost-defunct European coins. I will get my Ikea Helmer one day, but until then, I can finally store my polishes vertically. A momentous occasion indeed.
2. Teething Problems.
I thought that when my son got all his teeth, that would be the end of it. No more crying, no more toothaches, no more sore gums. Ah, how naive I was. He recently lost his first tooth, and oh - rejoice! Two teeth are coming up. In places where they're not supposed to be. This does not a happy house make.
3. Telly Addict.
Since I've been internet-less, I've watched seasons 1-3 of True Blood, every single Harry Potter movie in sequence, and all ten seasons of Friends. What I have learned from this: Even though I love True Blood, I still maintain that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the best vampire programme ever created; I think I have a strong crush on Professor Snape; and Friends only gets funnier the more you watch it.
Time well spent, I think you'll agree.
4. Read All About It.
I won't lie, I won't pretend that I've been perusing the literary classics. The first... eh... book... I tackled was
a Mills and Boon Christmas Special, which was a bit meh (aka - no riding). No interest in the baby-daddy ones, sorry Mills & Boon. The next one was a polar opposite - it was
Chasing Justice by Kerry Max Cook. If you have never heard Kerry's story, I recommend you check this book out - it's an unbelievable honest and at times harrowing account of Kerry's 22 years of imprisonment for a crime he didn't commit. I read the whole thing in one sitting - I couldn't put it down. This isn't for the faint of heart or those with weak stomachs - but it is an unbelievable story, one that ultimately ends on a hopeful note. Recommended!
The last book I read was
Whisper Falls by Toni Blake - I'm halfway through this at the minute, and it's a much better standard of 'romance' novel than Mills & Boon. I don't even know whether to call it Romance, Chick-Lit (HATE that term) or just fiction - it's a gorgeous little novel about the sweet creative girl next door who gets herself involved with the hard-ass tattooed scary biker with a heart of gold and a soft fuzzy side (not literally, because that's going into a whole different kind of romance) - all in all, it had me at "biker".
5. Weigh to Go
I had my first Weightwatchers meeting of the New Year on Jan 5th - I was pleasantly surprised to learn that even with all the wine-ness of Christmas and the tin of Celebrations, that I'd only put on two pounds over the two weeks. I kicked it up a notch last week, got back into my walking, and tried as best I could to stick to my daily points and a varied diet, and on Thursday I was down 2.5lb - that's the Christmas weight gone plus another half a pound. I'm now in the New Year at a size 16 and weighing 14 stone 1.5 lbs - this time last year I was a size 20-22 and almost 17 stone. It's easy to look on the negative side of things, so I'm giving myself a he-uge pat on the back for my achievements so far and I'm looking forward to updating this with an even better result this time next year.
So - there you go. Throw in a sciatica flare-up, a sick father-in-law, two funerals, back to school mania, the OH being away a lot, a wee bit of down-in-the-dumps-ness, copious migraines, and you have my January so far. I've a couple of things coming up during the week - lipstick reviews, nail polish swatches, ramblings, recipes and a few other bits and bobs.
Thanks for reading, guys. Sincerely.
S xx