So in line with my goal to blog every day in December, here goes! better late than never right?!
Well, as usual December crept up on me in the usual sneaky fashion. I thought I at least had the important stuff covered, but, no! The evening of the last day of November saw me in the loft, hunting for Dave's advent calendar which was...at work. At least I had the chocolate to give him!
I did place this little guy on my desk though, to add a little festive cheer. I am hoping to keep it alive and decorate it through December ready to give as a gift, just for fun :)
... as is keeping up with this blog, getting the new website up and running and revealing some big changes around here!
Its been a tough year if I'm honest. Not that anything really terrible has happened, but I think we all have those years - the ones that just feel harder, for no apparent reason. I feel like I have learnt a lot about myself, things I am excited to change and put into practise. I love this time of year anyway, but this year I am feeling it a little more, relief to close out 2011 and dive into 2012 with at least some sense of direction. I know what I want to do with my life, the business and everything else. Now its just down to me!
and I have a TON of images to share! :)
I had wondered whether to just let the white flag wednesday concept die quietly, in the spirit of moving onto new things. But I think I'll let it live a while, except, I'm not sure I can wait until Wednesday to reveal the pics of this weeks cute couple! Maybe white flag wednesdays will just be lost in the avalanche anyway!!....
Well, I'm always working, but I had to spend some time at the Practical office Saturday just gone. I say 'some time' as dinner time whooshed past me, the folks at home sent me this...
.... Will be posted tomorrow or Friday! Sorry!! I know that's completely cheating but I don't feel so well. Back on track ASAP!
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I am so tired that I am really struggling to get this post down. But if I don't, it won't be Wednesday anymore and this is long overdue! I feel like for so long I have been trying to fit enough work for two lives into just one - mine. I'm usually very careful with client work - I will push myself to the absolute limits to abide by self imposed deadlines etc. but then there's another side to things. The side my friends and family see. the little extra I try to give to them because, well, they rock :) but they are the people who know they can wait forever to see me complete what I started for them. I appreciate their patience so much but its time for it to stop - I need to pull myself out of this hole!
I made a list just less than a year ago.A list of things to do before my 30th birthday. Most of it is gonna have to be binned, but the one thing I intend to stick by is seeing each and every one of those 'friend' jobs crossed off. So, if you have received an email / message from me directing you to this blog post, then there's some cause for optimism - white flag Wednesdays are for you!! Every Weds I will preview some of these 'lost in the endless queue" shots. when you see yours, you know the job is done and they are on their way to you. There will be at least one white flag post each weds - I hope most days multiple posts.Who will it be next week??? it might be you! :)
so without any more jabber here is a mini offering to kick off White Flag Wednesdays...
I was going to post some stuff. All-sorts. But I got sick. Nothing contagious, just migraine brought on by me stressing over having to face or be reminded of the things I can't change which are really getting to me right now. But it's a long time since I had it that bad. I seem ok now but I'm already worrying about the possibility of a repeat this weekend. I geuss we'll just have to see how I handle it. Whilst I attempt to catch up, here is the view, as I lay on my back with the cats feet in my face!...
Some people may be wondering what happened with the diet. After 2 days of hyper enthusiastic posts... nothing. Well, one or two random unrelated images but not another word on the diet. Well, you see, the truth is...
... I actually stuck to it!! ~No, no, please don't die of shock! sit down a moment, you'll be fine! I actually found the Body Blitz plan much easier to follow than I thought I would. The book promised a weight loss of around 7 lbs in return for sticking to the plan and throwing in around 5 half hour sessions of some form of exercise (not necessarily anything too strenuous) each week for 2 weeks. Well, I almost stuck to the plan (other than the accidental honey and lemon drink, one packet of maltesers and a packet of crisps when I stayed really late at the office one night and one or two stolen pieces of potato when dave was having some), skipped the odd meal when I was too busy or not hungry (but never deliberately to starve myself), skipped a portion of the snacks (because I just didn't need them), did no specific exercise...
and lost a grand total of 7.5 lbs!!!
It was so much fun to watch Pam, my Weight Watchers leader almost hit the deck when I stepped on the scales. Any loss would have amazed her after the last few weeks!
The observant among you may have noticed that I have only claimed 7 lbs on the chart at the top. That is because that is what I measured at home.
He lives! and because he does, so can I... forever... with these nuts!....
and that was before they saw me with Naomi and Joe today in the front garden, cooing into the flower beds...
I was sick today and stayed home all day in my pjs inhaling menthol and trying to breathe! so other than the diet I really have nothing else to talk about!
SO, day 2. managing better than expected so far.
I started the day with an egg and rye bread soldiers. I realised that since I NEVER eat this I don't have egg cups - untill I remembered the one I had as a kid. I didnt want to throw it away for some reason, so I stashed it in my craft cupboard, so that was fun! the egg was a bit of a disaster though - I followed the instructions and it came out practically hard boiled. Have to try that again!
... oh yes! that's me! I have tried them all, pretty much, including the mayo clinic one where you have to have grapefruit / grapefruit juice before every meal, never mind that I HATE grapefruit! I spent about 2 weeks consuming tons of the stuff, only to be disappointed with the end result, as always! During recent years I have found that the only plan that really works for me is the Weight Watchers plan. And yet, despite knowing that is does work for me, and knowing that I really do want to finally lose this weight, I am having an insanely hard time sticking to it. I'm always either comfort eating to try and fill some emotional black hole, suffering from a cold or other sickness, or over working myself, getting no sleep and eating just to keep from dropping dead! Something has got to give and I am determined that this time it will finally be my waistline!! So enter Anna Richardson and the Body Blitz diet (as recommended by my mother-in-law).
I have this massive list of little jobs here and there that people are waiting for. But, before I move on to that I HAD to post something from Saturday! These guys were too fab!
Ok, so, it isn't really a 'secret garden', but I know I couldn't find my way back to Woodbank Park again even if I tried! We visited together in the autumn of 2010 to shoot their engagement session. They showed me around the important places, the settings of their story. A lovely story - you can read it here at their blog.
We reenacted the magical moment and they smiled and posed for the camera as a bunch of kids looked on (who had kindly moved aside to allow us space) and eagerly fired questions at the happy couple about what they were doing and when they would be getting married. To me, it was much like any other park, trees, grass, a play area. To them it is where they used to 'hang', a place to go on dates and where Matt chose to propose. For them it will always hold too many sweet memories to be 'just another park'. Maybe it really is a secret garden.
...to the bestest niece EVER!
I've been pretty busy recently, my list of things to do just keeps growing. I have a massive back-log of stuff to post here!
So heres a tiny taste of whats to come - our latest studio visitor!
avoidance isn't working. avoidance can't last, and can never be complete- I just won't be allowed to get away with it! so, I am going to rub my face in it, perhaps not excessively, but thats what I am going to do. Surely there comes a point where it can't feel any worse right? well, bring it on, I think I'm ready!!
... I came home from work, and she wasn't waiting on the couch where I thought she would be. And she didn't greet me at the door. I searched the house growing more distressed with each room. Until I found her, upstairs, and then I cried.
Happy birthday. Today you would have been 100 if you were still here. I miss you. I wish I had realised that I would when you were here.
We wanted to celebrate your birthday by going to the pub for a mixed grill, but sadly I have a lot of work that needs finishing. So I picked some fish and chips up on the way from work and ate it at the computer with a glass of sugary Ribena and lemonade. I know you would approve!
