Well it's a gorgeous, sunny Sunday. I expect everyone is getting nice & brown in their gardens. What have I been doing? Ironing, packing, weighing the case, unpacking, re-organising, packing, weighing .... and so it goes. And I'm still overweight! My case, not me - OK I am too but that's not the priority at the moment. Are we the only ones that have this problem? We have an allowance of 20 kilos each & 5 kilos hand luggage. I am obviously taking too many clothes! But I can't decide what to leave behind, I like to have my daytime outfits then change for dinner. And of course there has to be a choice of sandals in 3 different heel heights. Oh & shorts & T-shirts for the pool area over the 2 or more swimsuit choices. Then there's the toiletries, the SLR camera with spare lenses, the snapshot camera for emergencies, the iPad and the kindle (at least I'm not having to take 2 or 3 books anymore!) How come I take the same amount of clothes when I go for one week? Although I am, this time, going for two. Can I take this in my hand luggage? Have the rules changed again? Won't bother with perfume I can buy some on the plane. Trying to take all the sun cream adds weight too - It'll be damned expensive over there! But will it be cheaper to pay when we get there and not have to pay for being overweight in our luggage?
I just wonder if everyone does the same? But then I don't suppose everyone takes as many clothes as me. I like my choices you see? Dresses, Skirts, Trousers, Leggings, Shorts. And then there has to be Stylish, casual, & of course a couple of cardigans just in case of chilly evenings & tops to match all the bottoms! It was so much easier going on a cruise, no baggage restrictions except they had to be easy for the porters to handle. Take as many cases as you like, no worries about putting hairspray in the suitcase & not in the hand luggage. I knew there was a reason I liked cruises. Anyway, packing is all done now - If we're over, were over! I'll let you know when we get back. In the meantime, don't have too much sunshine will you? Or I may as well have stayed home and not worried about the damned luggage! And can you have some rain while I'm gone too please or else all my yummy veggies are going to shrivel & die.
Take care my friends. I'll see you in two weeks!
Some little insights
Sunday, 27 May 2012
Saturday, 28 April 2012
Banana Bag Review
Yes - Banana Bag! I discovered this a couple of weeks ago.
How many times have you stocked the fruit bowl with bananas only to go back a week later to find the bananas have gone black & are attracting fruit flies? We all do it, buy a stack of fruit & then forget to eat it or buy a couple of extra bananas just in case the grandchildren come over, but if truth be told, when they come over they'd rather have one of nan's freshly baked cakes or that pack of sweets in the cupboard!
We all know you can't store bananas in the fridge as they go black even quicker because the skin gets too cold & the flesh inside ripens even quicker. If left in the bowl, a banana will last a week at best.
My problem is that not driving & living in a village 5 miles from town, I like to have a good supply of fruit, but hate it when the 2 bananas that are left in the bowl at the end of the week are only useful for making banana bread. I like a fresh banana every day with my breakfast, either sprinkled with cinnamon or honey on toast or scrummy with a couple of weetabix & hot milk.
So how do bananas stay fresh in a banana bag? Well, it actually allows you to keep the bananas in the fridge! Sealed inside the bag, fresh bananas get just enough air to keep the flesh from over-ripening & the skin is kept warm enough through the right amount of insulation to stop it from turning black. Bananas will keep fresh twice as long!
It was worth the few pounds paid out - definitely value for money!
I hope this was helpful - If you like bananas, you'll love The Banana Bag!
How many times have you stocked the fruit bowl with bananas only to go back a week later to find the bananas have gone black & are attracting fruit flies? We all do it, buy a stack of fruit & then forget to eat it or buy a couple of extra bananas just in case the grandchildren come over, but if truth be told, when they come over they'd rather have one of nan's freshly baked cakes or that pack of sweets in the cupboard!
We all know you can't store bananas in the fridge as they go black even quicker because the skin gets too cold & the flesh inside ripens even quicker. If left in the bowl, a banana will last a week at best.
My problem is that not driving & living in a village 5 miles from town, I like to have a good supply of fruit, but hate it when the 2 bananas that are left in the bowl at the end of the week are only useful for making banana bread. I like a fresh banana every day with my breakfast, either sprinkled with cinnamon or honey on toast or scrummy with a couple of weetabix & hot milk.
So how do bananas stay fresh in a banana bag? Well, it actually allows you to keep the bananas in the fridge! Sealed inside the bag, fresh bananas get just enough air to keep the flesh from over-ripening & the skin is kept warm enough through the right amount of insulation to stop it from turning black. Bananas will keep fresh twice as long!
It was worth the few pounds paid out - definitely value for money!
I hope this was helpful - If you like bananas, you'll love The Banana Bag!
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
Escape to the Country - The Early Months


Oh how it was all to change when I met my 'Shropshire Lad'. When my son reached 18 & had made all his plans to go to university, there was just one thing for me to do. Sell up and move lock, stock and the proverbial barrel to live with my new found 'internet' love. On 19th July 2006 the company van was loaded with my posessions and we made the long journey from Dagenham to Hinstock (a village in North Shropshire). My son decided to stay 'darn sarf'(1) with his mates living out of a suitcase (or rather, holdall) until it was time to go to Uni in Sheffield he then came up to stay with me for the week before his adventure began. But I digress. This is about my move from the smoke to the sticks and all the culture shocks I endured at that time.



A few months later, I'd set up an eBay shop for the family business. It took off big time & I found myself working more hours than I had for the council! I suppose I enjoyed it at first as it kept me occupied and took my mind off my isolation. I started taking driving lessons, only to fail my test 5 times in succession with 4 different examiners and for different things each fail! I gave up! Especially as the last failure had been for speeding!
We moved to our house in the centre of the village in November 2008. Now, the poorly-stocked village shop was only a 3 minute walk away and town just 5 miles. Did this make life easier? I'll tell you all in part 2!
(1) No I don't talk like that! I may be cockney but I like to think my accent is more refined ;)
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Easter in Pembrokeshire
The trip down was a pleasant one. I was firmly relaxed in the passenger seat of the Land Rover Discovery (it would have been the Merc with the top down, but the weather forecast put paid to that as a lot of rain was forecast that weekend).
We left home at around 9 am on Thursday 5th April and decided to take the slow route down through mid-Wales & round the Brecon Beacons. Living so closely to North Wales & Snowdonia, we were used to the rugged, dramatic vistas to be seen there and were interested to see how the countryside of South Wales would differ once we got past the Brecons. Pembrokeshire was apparently untouched by glacial ice sheets whereas the rest of Wales was affected by the movement of the ice so the geology would be very different. Below the Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire was more reminiscent of the gentle rolling hills of Devon & Cornwall. With soft sloping roads (or rather tracks) down to the sea. I say tracks as there were some very narrow roads to negotiate to see some of the undoubtedly beautiful views out across The Celtic Sea, & St Georges & The Bristol Channels.
The Harp Inn is situated just outside of Haverford-West in the village of Letterston. They'd not been doing B&B for long and I think they are still finding their feet. Whilst the rooms & beds were very comfortable, I found the bedding to be of gigantic proportions making it feel like you were being swallowed. If you like heavy quilts it's fine, but there was absolutely no alternative to the mound of blancmange that engulfed me every night. We ate at the Harp every evening mainly so that hubby could have a few wines & not have to drive. The food was tasty & well cooked by Giles Sandall & his team, whilst Giles' wife Becky ran front of house and was ready to chat at all times even though she seemed rushed off her feet all the time!
The highlights of our visit for me were our trips to St. Davids City (The smallest in Britain with just 1,600 inhabitants), The Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber & Castell Henllys Iron Age Hill Fort. You may have noticed a theme here... History! Yes, it seems to take up quite a large part of our trips away. We love archaeology and anything ancient!
St Davids was amazing because of the view of the Cathedral when you first see it. You wander down through the town, an unassuming little place (although there is a visitor's centre which tends to give a hint of it's importance). It occupies the valley floor below the village. As you approach from The Square, you can't see the cathedral until you get quite close. You pass through the gatehouse and there it is - magnificent!
Pentre Ifan is to be found near the village of Nevern near Fishguard. It is the best known & most impressive megalithic monument in Wales.
Another place that I would recommend all to visit is Castell Henllys Iron Age Hill Fort.
There is also the majestic Victorian seaside resort of Tenby with it's Castle & Fort, sandy beaches and Palm trees - but that is definitely for a sunny day!
There is the Lighthouse at Strumble Head just past Fishguard where the old WW2 lookout post is now used as a shelter for bird watchers.
I did enjoy my trip to Pembrokeshire despite the drive home in constant rain, (which actually stopped as we emptied the car at home) but I missed the ruggedness of North Wales & the beauty of the Shropshire Hills. Strange really, coming from a woman who was born & grew up in the City of London and lived in Dagenham in Essex for more years than I care to remember! Since moving to Shropshire just 5 years ago, I seem to have become a country girl, relishing the beauty & diversity of the countryside around me. I still crave a trip to Romford Market now & then, but I don't think I'd move back to the smoke now if you paid me!!
Monday, 16 April 2012
A change in direction
At first this was going to be a foodie blog, then I slipped in some poetry and now I'm changing course again! - Oh yes I can be fickle!
This time I want to tell you all about my trip at Easter with the other half to Pembrokeshire - so it will include some foodie bits as well as a hotel review and some fantastic pics hopefully of the scenery and amazing places we saw. I will then probably change direction again and blog about something totally different! I do so hate being stuck in a rut don't you?
The Pembrokeshire blog will be next so watch this space. It will cover 5 days including 2 travelling and I hope I will be able to make it amusing as well as interesting ;)
For now I'm off to get some lunch so could be blogging later x
This time I want to tell you all about my trip at Easter with the other half to Pembrokeshire - so it will include some foodie bits as well as a hotel review and some fantastic pics hopefully of the scenery and amazing places we saw. I will then probably change direction again and blog about something totally different! I do so hate being stuck in a rut don't you?
The Pembrokeshire blog will be next so watch this space. It will cover 5 days including 2 travelling and I hope I will be able to make it amusing as well as interesting ;)
For now I'm off to get some lunch so could be blogging later x
Friday, 13 January 2012
Ode to Insomnia
Sweet sleep You take the pressures of the day and turn them into dreams And yet those same pressures keep you from me. What choice have I but to dwell on those pressures here in my wakefulness? For if my sleep denies me I must think how to suppress those pressures. Yet with that thinking, do I not suppress the very sleep I crave? Ah well Tomorrow is another night. |
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Well the festivities have finished and I'm now feeling the need to get cracking with the weight loss! My gorgeous daughter is getting married in September and I'm damned if I'll be buying a dress for the size I am now! I want to drop at least 2 dress sizes and look like the stunning mother of the bride that I've always dreamt of being. I've waited a long time for this moment! 11 years and 2 grand children long in fact. So, I have joined a slimming club (Slimming World, if you're interested) and on my 1st day of dieting, I find that I have eaten so much that I am absolutely bloated! You see with this club you can virtually eat whatever you want to and there are certain foods that you are positively encouraged to eat stacks of! Today, I had a fried breakfast - yes, fried, but not in fat, in that magical spray oil. Their motto is as long as you eat the right quantities i.e. a third of the plate needs to be what they call super-free foods - basically fresh or tinned fruit & veg. Food that has low calories but is very filling. I can still have chocolate, I can still drink my wine. Just need to be a bit careful with my treats and stick to the programme's syn system. And it works! I've seen the results. So I will probably keep you all updated on my progress each week when I go to club to get weighed. This week I have set myself a 3lbs target so fingers crossed I don't get carried away on the treats.
Also, a good friend has been accepted for the This Morning 12 week challenge to get fit on TV. He is 20 years old and has been obese for most of his life. He has already lost 2 stones by following the Slimming World programme in 10 weeks so 12 weeks of fitness training & his healthy diet should really shift the lbs. I will be following his progress closely.
Well, that's all I have to say at the moment except to wish you all a very happy & prosperous 2012 and hope this new year brings you everything you wish for.
Also, a good friend has been accepted for the This Morning 12 week challenge to get fit on TV. He is 20 years old and has been obese for most of his life. He has already lost 2 stones by following the Slimming World programme in 10 weeks so 12 weeks of fitness training & his healthy diet should really shift the lbs. I will be following his progress closely.
Well, that's all I have to say at the moment except to wish you all a very happy & prosperous 2012 and hope this new year brings you everything you wish for.
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