Weight Watch

Don't know how I managed to lose 1lb this week - between eating out/carryouts & a birthday & the pancakes with maple syrup! Will have to be better this week or it'll show next week on the scales.

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Weight Watch

Since Jo was born, 3 years ago, I have found it a struggle to get the excess weight off. Also, 10 weeks ago I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid & this has lead to a steady increase in weight since Christmas. While I appreciate that it is more difficult to lose weight with this condition, I know several people who also have this problem & with medication, daily exercise & diet control they have managed to get back into & maintain a healthy weight range. So drastic measures are called for. I've decided to go on a calorie count diet with a daily 2 mile walk & aim to lose 4 stone for next summer. Your help is required - if I do not weigh in here every Thursday by lunchtime, I want someone to phone me & ask why not!

Start Date : 14/06/2007

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Each squiggle = 1lb left to lose. I'll post a photo after each stone is lost.

OK, OK, OK.

Some people have been complaining to me about not updating my blog. Well, I've not been looking after my plants like I ought to & I didn't think you'd want photos of yellow leaves & weeds, so my idea was to get it sorted out & then post some photos to make you think how industrious I've been & what a good gardener I am. The sad truth is I'm struggling to get housework done, plus home educate the kids and get the polytunnel sorted. I've been a little over ambitious & all the rain hasn't given me much motivation to get outside sorted. Anyway - the plants, inspite of the neglect, are quite determined to grow so my aim this week is to get them planted properly & hopefully have at least some lettuce to show for our efforts.

SILENT SCREAM

A friend who has a child with learning difficulties wrote this poem & with her permission she has allowed me to post it on my blog. Her & her husband are an inspiration to anyone in the way they care for their little girl with complete, sacrificial love. She, in return, brings them alot of happiness.

Silent Scream
Today I was conceived
my sex, height
and eye colour
already pre determined!
Status: Human being.
By five weeks I have five fingers.
By seven, my own set fingerprints.
Special and unique,
to me!
I am warm and secure and continue to grow.
At sixteen weeks my heart is pumping
thirty litres of blood,
around my body.
I am over a third of the size I will be at birth
and I start to kick my mother.
Today I lie and suck my thumb.
I am unaware of the evil one
waging war
blinding mankind,
causing them to slaughter
their own sons and daughters
out of prejudice, apathy or fear.
Suddenly it comes.
Pain
as never felt before,
Searing,
Excruciating.
My body is crushed and broken.
There is no one to hear my silent cry.
Today was the day of my birth.
It was also the day of my death.

Birds of the Air

Said the robin to the sparrow,
'I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.'

Said the sparrow to the robin,
'Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me.'

(E. Cheney)

"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 26 v 6

Hens are a Girls Best Friend

Whoever said it was diamonds was mistaken. Next to worms they have to be the gardeners greatest help. I ordered a custom built run in our workshop & surprisingly had it delivered within the week. This 'run' is built to be moved around the fruit/veg patch with the aim being that my new feathered friends do the weeding. They have almost cleared a 10ft x 10ft patch in 1/2 day. So now, not only are we having our weeds uprooted, they're giving us eggs & in the future will also be providing meat & if you call getting woke at 6am an advantage then we also have a real living alarm clock. They will be repaid by being allowed out completely free range when they finish the gardening.