Thursday, 30 March 2017

Day 190 & 191

Wednesday, weigh in day.  Another struggle to remove myself from the mattress, hounds fed & watered before getting ready myself.  A supervision meeting with a pain in the arse that I manage before lunch, roll on lunch time.  Lots of comments again today about how much weight I have lost, hope that doesn't jinx me again!

Hope to a dinner of steak, egg, mushrooms & SW chips (after I'd returned to the office to get my meat out of the fridge) before setting out to the weigh in.  Good news, another 2lb loss taking me to my initial target, woohoo.  Also got slimmer of the month which was a surprise too.

Thursday, my final day in the office for 10 whole days, fantastic, really need a break after all the bloody finance for the last 3 months.  A bit easier to get up today, extra hound fusses, so left a little late, but still arrived on time.

Chasing my reference, which has eventually been completed this afternoon, getting closer to handing in my notice.  Tied up some loose ends before heading home.  Dinner for all of us then walks with the hounds, feeling knackered.

Day 187, 188 & 189

Sunday morning and another fairly early start, breakfast for the hounds and quick snuggles before a 'fry up' for myself (which I couldn't finish) & then off up town to buy a sports bra & some otherbits & bobs for my exercise class.  Back home to walk the hounds & a text from my mate's hubby to let me know their car had broken down last night & to check if I could take them to Ripley.

A quick dash to prepare a salad & some strawberries for me & some sarnies for them before heading to the shower to get ready to pick them up.  A fab afternoon at the Annie Lennox gig, quite busy too in the bar, home for 9.30 pm.

Monday again already, the waiting game for my employment checks!!  At least my DBS is on it's way back.  Struggled to get out of bed today, especially as it's darker again after the clocks went forward.  A normal shitty day at the office trying to tie up some loose ends regarding the finances following last week's race to get everything ready.  An afternoon city centre meeting meant I could nip into Primark when I finished to get some more of the new design boy shorts as they're so comfy, shame there's only 3 colours.  Couldn't wait for home time to arrive to see my lovely houndies.

Tuesday, another regular day on hound duties before heading into the office, except that's it's also pay day.  Collected my prescriptions on my way home, fed the hounds & fed myself with an omelette.  A walk to the Community Centre to sample Clubbercise with five others from the Slimming World group.  Had a great laugh raving to 90's tunes then a walk home, exhausted.

Saturday, 25 March 2017

Day 185 & 186

Up & at them early again, woke before the hounds today & ready by 7.50 am. wow!!  Even managed a quick shopping trip to Aldi before work & also arrived on time too.  Getting totally pissed off now with tossers in the office talking about my new job behind my back, dunno why they don't just fucking ask me instead of asking god & his dog.  So pissed off I decided to leave at 4 pm to take a bit of my time back, especially as my mate is gigging in the Sky Bar at Resort World Birmingham & offered me a lift.  What  a swish venue, the show went down well too, home at 1 am.

Saturday & an early start thanks to Lady waking me up!!  Still wanting to try out some duck eggs, decided to try my luck with Bilston Market, success, yes I got some at £2.25 for 6, lets hope they taste good.  Hounds walked and a trip to Primark for some fitness gear to wear at the exercise class this week, quite looking forward to it, but it'll probably kill me, lol.  Might try out the kettlebell class that my mate goes to also.  Not going out tonight, so a night in front of the box.  A trip to Dudley to walk & feed my mate's dog as they're in Bradford, then home to a shower & PJs to watch The Voice, off to bed shortly.

Thursday, 23 March 2017

Day 182, 183 & 184

Just a regular Tuesday, up & out early, on countdown even though I don't have a start date yet.  Hounds sort before setting off.  A day of finance as it's the last week to get things ready,  so it's full on.  Started work on the minutes for my new team  to get them done & dusted.

Finally during the afternoon my conditional offer letter arrived by email, so that's my evening sorted, completing my DBS application.

Wednesday, weigh in day, call me weird but I look forward to seeing how I've done.  The hounds were particularly excited for some reason today.  A regular day of crap at HMP Priory Green, took my ID to the penthouse for my DBS, so hopefully I can start to officially count the days to my escape.  A meeting with the finance officer during the afternoon, this went well, surprisingly well, I even got congratulated on the work I've put in for the end of year.

Home for dinner, then off to get weighed, very happy with a 3lb loss giving me my 2 stone award & slimmer of the week #happybunny

Thursday, the fourth day this week that I've managed to get up on time (that's a first).  Quick ear tickles with the hounds, have to have my fix before work (and kisses too).  Even arrived at the office early (shock, horror).  Yet more finance to deal with as I'm desperately trying to process everything possible, only problem is the invoices don't seem to be appearing on the system.  A pretty regular day all in all, except for trying to get some cats boarded as their owner has gone into hospital & my colleagues were out of the office for the day.

Home to dinner & hound walks & chill.

Monday, 20 March 2017

Day 181

Monday already, not feeling it today.  It was a struggle to lift my head off the pillow, quick ear scratches with the hounds with their breakfast before jumping in the shower a bit later than usual.

So much planned for the day, let's see what happens!  Cracked on straight away after a few hiccups trying to boot my laptop up & straight in with the finance, spent the morning on it,except for half an hour with a colleague who hadn't got the job she'd been interviewed for last week.

Lunch came along quite quickly, decided against a walk to Morrison's as it was p*ssing down.  More of the same for the afternoon with some other stuff thrown in too.  Only had two drinks all day as I've been so busy.  Home time arrived quite quickly too (thank goodness), home to the hounds and a home made chilli with rice & veg, leftovers for later in the week with a jacket potato.  Nom nom.

Dinner eaten, a visit to Asda to get some fuel as it's always too busy at the garage in a morning.  Back home to chill before bed.

Sunday, 19 March 2017

Day 179 & 180

Saturday, no plans for a change, so no lie in either as Lady decided to start barking early.  Decided to have a bit of a mooch around town as I'd seen a top I like on Thursday, decided I didn't like it as it was more of a dress than a t-shirt.  Picked up a couple of bits from Primark then headed back to the car for a stop of at Bentley Bridge to collect something for work and pop into Aldi for the weeks' fruit & veg supplies.  Home to walk the hounds & a text from my mate offering to pick me up on the way to her gig in Polesworth.  This time a Cher gig in what must be the world's tinyest pub full of tossers & inbreds.  Spent the evening with some bloke's arse about a foot away from my head farting all night.  The show sounded amazing, no idea what it looked like as I couldn't see a bloody thing it was so crowded.

Sunday, no plans.  A cooked breakfast to start the day followed by a couple of loads of washing.  My mate texted to ask if I could check in on the dog as they were gigging in Liverpool.  Walked the hounds before heading to Dudley to walk their dog around the park.  Home to cook dinner & chill out.  A quick visit to Poundworld, found some nice kitchen utensils

Day 177 & 178

Thursday, Board day, up a bit earlier than normal to allow for traffic into the city centre & my 15 minute walk in.  A quick catch up on emails before preparing for the meeting & filling up the coffee flasks.  This time I'd decided to take an additional body with me to free me up to do dome finance work during the first part of the day.  Part two saw me taking the minutes of the Board meeting.  No lunch break, so an early finish, home to walk the hounds.

A quick bite to eat before heading out for a quick drink with my new work colleagues and then on for an evening out with my besties.

Friday, thank goodness, although it's been a short week it's seemed long at the same time.  Another morning in the city centre as I have been asked to take minutes at a meeting for my new team, so I've cancelled half a day's leave to fit it in.  Just my look to bump into our Head of Service as I came out of the meeting, that's a bollocking for me on Monday no doubt.

Off out to Nuneaton for a meal & the Mizz Pink show with Deb, first stop Tipton to collect her.  Fab show and food, only shadowed by a mammoth diversion home as the bloody M6 was closed in two places, FFS.

Day 175 & 176

Tuesday, back to my early alarm call, quick ear scratches with the hounds before getting ready for work.  So, it's like I've never been away, soooo many interruptions I can't get shit done, I hate this so much, looking forward so much to my new start, it can't come quick enough.  A little reprive at lunchtime and then back to it, more of the same.  Rushing round to get Board papers sorted on top of everything else.

Couldn't wait to get back home to the hounds.

Wednesday, last day before the Board, shopping for fruit & juice for the Development Event. Sort of looking forward to a day out of the office, even though it's working.  Looking forward to weigh in to see how I've done this week, feeling a bit bloated today though.  Felt a bit disappointed as I'd only lost one pound this week, bloody hormones.  On a positive note my work colleagues had told me how different I looked as they'd not seen me for a few days.

Monday, 13 March 2017

Day 174

Last day of my annual leave (for a couple of days).  Up fairly early as Lady started barking just after 7 pm, breakfast for all of us before a bit of a sit down before deciding what to do with myself.

Decided to sort out one of the kitchen units which contained a lot of cake making stuff which I'm not going to use, so in the bin with that!!!  Pasta & baked oats ingredients neatly stored in place of all the stuff I've thrown out.  A sit down with a brew and lunch (fruit & yoghurt) then off to walk the hounds.  Surprisingly chill despite the sunshine.  Hounds walked separately to build up my body magic.

Back home to organise tomorrow's food, bran flakes with fruit & yoghurt, ham & cous cous salad & chicken casserole in the slow cooker, check me out.  Lots of speedy veg prepared for tonight's dinner. Nothing planned for the rest of the day, so I'll sit in front of the TV and maybe do a spot of knitting.  Hoping to clear out more cupboards during the week, a tall order as I am out every evening this week.  Not looking forward to being back in the office tomorrow :-(

Sunday, 12 March 2017

Day 172 & 173

Saturday saw another early start (but not as early as yesterday) as it was Crufts shopping day.  Got the right turning from the motorway this time so I ended up in the right car park today.  Crufts was oh so busy, especially when your trying to get through crowds with loads of shopping, lots of treas for the hounds and some vetbed for Lady to sleep on, she seems to like it.  A quick mooch around Discover Dogs, a difficult experience with lots of bags.

Off home with aching legs & feet again.  Quite a lot of traffic on the way home.  A quick bite to eat followed by a shower before my mate & her hubby picked me up for her show in Blackpool at the Grosvenor Casino.  Quite a busy night in the casino this time.  Home at 3 am.

Up later than normal (10.20 am) after a much needed lie in.  A leisurely cooked breakfast with the hounds before a drive to Bescot market, sadly no bones again on the butchers stall again, so looks like a trip to Penkridge to see if they've got some.  A stop of at Aldi on the way home then a couple of hours sit down before walking the hounds.  A chilled evening planned with a shower & PJ's, no work tomorrow, so hopefully a bit of a lie in.

Friday, 10 March 2017

Day 171

An early start for Crufts day, so up at 5.45 am, breakfast for the hounds & mine went in my bag as it was too early for me to eat.  Set off at 7 am, quick stop for fuel & then off to the motorway, quite busy as it was early.  Arrived at the NEC at 8 am via a strange route & ended up on the west car park & a long walk through the back of the building.

A fab day meeting and greeting the public from as far and wide as Ireland and Australia, such a diverse crowd of people.  Badger enjoyed lots of ear scratches, he also had the poops, must be the excitement!!

A short shopping spree before heading home & a long journey in quite heavy traffic.

Off out shortly as my mate is singing in Brum!!

Thursday, 9 March 2017

Day 169 & 170

Wednesday, a big day for me this week!!

A different Wednesday to the norm as today is my interview for the MASH post which I was blocked doing a secondment for.  Hence the morning off to prepare myself, so my day began with an extra hour in bed, a leisurely breakfast & ear scratches with the hounds followed by a walk with them all.

Next on the agenda, a bit of swatting for my interview before preparing lunch & having a shower. Off I headed to the office where my interview is, felt a bit weird going in through the front door instead of the back door.  The test was first, a scenario with some questions to answer, I was extremely nervous as the job means so much to me, the interview itself went fairly well I thought.  Back to the office to do some work!!  Forty minutes later a phone call to offer me the job, of course I said yes, so I got presented with a vetting form to complete.

Back home after a couple of hours to prepare dinner before my Slimming World group, feeling really happy.  Stepped onto the scales to find I'd lost 3 lb, yay, a bit nearer to my next milestone!!

Thursday, first day of my annual leave, another lie in, although I was awake quite early, a brew & breakfast before heading to the Civic Centre to drop off my vetting form and some ID, straight from there to Lidl for a spot of shopping then to the kennels to collect food.  Home for lunch and to walk the hounds in the sunshine, they were naked, lovely to see the sun on their backs.  A chilled out afternoon finishing off the baby cardy before a scrumptious dinner & more chill out time.  A shower later in preparation for my early start tomorrow.

Day 167 & 168

Monday already, but surprisingly lively.  The usual Monday chores before heading off out.

Arrived at HMP Priory Green nearly ten minutes late, but I hardly ever leave on time anyway.  First job of the day to catch up with the emails that came in while I was on leave, also processed a few invoices that had been loaded on to the system.

Lunch while I worked as I've got a training session for the end of financial year during the afternoon.  Needed to do some stuff in the city centre, so a quick break (half an hour) doing that.  The training was slightly improved on what we had last year, so at least it wasn't a total waste of time.  Decided to stay on at the Civic for a bit of peace and also so that I could take the rest of my lunch entitlement and leave a bit earlier.

Parked further away, so a 15 minute walk back to the car before I could set off home for an evening with the houndies.  I'm bloody freezing!!

Tuesday, just a general crap day in the office of working non stop & being interrupted on numerous occasions, now I know how Sharon felt.  I got home emotionally drained on a daily basis.  FFS.

That's enough about Tuesday except to say home time was most welcome to be greeted by the hounds.

Sunday, 5 March 2017

Day 166

A short lie in following a fantastic night at the Hilly House.  Breakfast sorted for the hounds and a SW friendly cooked breakfast for me.  The weather pretty crap today.  Off to a shop window today with my besties, usually a good laugh.

Prepped the hounds dinner before heading in the shower, SW haribo sweeties, a pear & a banana stuffed into my handbag & off to Beech Tree Social Club in Wollescote.  Not too bad as far as these things go, not so many shitty acts today.  Big G joined us, a good laugh had by all.  Next stop the Hawne Tavern, Big G's local for another couple of diet cokes.

The weather still chucking it down, planning dinner on the way home.  Straight in to feed the hounds & prepare my food, a chicken breast, roast carrots, roast parsnips, roast shallots & roast potatoes with cabbage, sprouts & green beans, delicious.

Next job to sort the bins out before I can chill out for the rest of the evening, can't believe the weekend is over :-(

Saturday, 4 March 2017

Day 165

Saturday, an early start for today's RGT roadshow in Wolverhampton.  A busy morning with the hounds meeting folks, quite cold as we were in the shade this time.  A bit of drama when a Romanian family lost one of their kids, a bit difficult as they didn't speak English, they were soon reunited though.

A quick stop at Bentley Bridge on the way home, an hour to chill, then walk the hounds before dinner.  Off out later to see Annie Lennox at the Hilly House in Dudley.

Day 163 & 164

Thursday, my last working day, so looking forward to breaking up.  A regular day, except for my new laptop which I got yesterday.  Don't much care for the brand, but it seems good so far.

Hounds walked & fed, me fed, all good for a chilled out evening.  The weather wasn't bad, but no doubt that won't last.

Friday, yep, I was right, peeing down, bang goes my trip to Attingham Park.  Instead a day of grocery shopping and knitting.

No night out, so an early night too.  How boring!!

Day 161 & 162

Tuesday, another crazy day.  First though a trip to the hospital for physio with a new physiotherapist, a bit of eye candy too.  So he reckons I have tennis & golfers elbow as well  as issues with my neck/back.  Off to the office in agony with my next appointment in 4 weeks.  The rest of the day spent with my head in financial spread sheets.  Home to the hounds, no walk as it was peeing down.

Wednesday, feeling a little apprehensive following last week's slight weight gain.  Another busy day at the office trying to keep everything up to date, the end of financial year is taking up soooo much time.

Off to my group, good news this week 2.5 lb off meaning I had reached my next milestone of 1.5 stone, happy bunny!!  Also got my bronze body magic award.