April end

Time flies when you are having fun.  What have I been up to lately? mmmmh, not so much and then again a few things. Little Princess turned 8 years old, yikes how did that happen? Party is over for another year and now I can relax about parties.

She has also started gynmastics, and she absolutely lovces it! Good stuff.

I have started jogging, but got a little bit of pain in my legs, and I am hoping it's not shin splints.  So I am going to take it a bit easy next week. We are also considering getting a treadmill for 4 weeks. We'll see if we can afford it, as I have a dentist appointment, that will be oh so fun, and oh so cheap.

I have a meeting tomorrow with a Gemma, I hope it will be interesting and maybe something good will come out of it.

Dinner today was Guinea Fowl, and it was really nice..I didn't make dinner it was hubby! He always does a great job.

It is Monday tomorrow and I need to get Princess' school uniform ready, so I better go.

Hej då!

Long time, no see

Yes, I haven't been here lately...! The reason is that I went to the doctor to see what they could do for my cough and those not so lovely things, so I got some antibiotics and they made me really tired..and I guess that is the reason why I haven't written anything,I have been to tired.

The last things that has happened, was that on Sunday we decided it was a good day to paint our fence.My husband, my daughter and I...we were painting for 6 hours and finally we were done. I was echausted, even though I love painting.

My arm was broken, (no, I didn't break it, but it was exhausted from the painting) and in the evening our cat didn't come home. All through the night I was out about every hour...something must have happened, she always stays around the house..she doesn't stray ever!!!!

At 6.45 am I got out of bed and got dressed..wanted to goout looking for her..so I shouted her name and I thought I could hear a meow....got husband up , he can hear better than me...and her agreed it was a meow.

We located the meowing to be in our neighbours garden shed, (yep, we went into their garden to find where the meow came from. ) ao at 7.15 am we knocked on their door..she was probably not very amused being woken up that early in the school holiday, but we didn't care. I wanted my cat!

And the cat ran out and straight home to eat. She has been indoor alot since than..but that could just be because the weather has turned colder!!!

Daughter Catriona is not at home, she is at Sportworxx and they finish in anouther few hours...it's nice to have the day to myself, eing able to do som ehousework in peace. So I better get going, have plenty of stuff to do before I pick her up.

Enjoy your day!

Weigh in

Had my weekly weigh in at Weight Watchers thismorning, and it showed that since my last wi a few weeks ago I have lost half a pound.

My goal for next week is another pound off! The tracking starts tomorrow. I am kinda of pleased..was hoping for a bit more but nevermind...I want one whole pound next week. Only blipping tonight, as it is my weigh day.

I am hoping for badminton in the weekend, zumba Monday morning and dancing Monday evening..hopefully that will make a little difference when it comes to my weightloss.

I will also do a bit extra walking tomorrow, so hopefully that will also make a little dent in today choccie munching. Anyway, it is getting late, and I am tired..so I will hop into bed and have a little read before I turn the light off...I am reading Amtmandens døtre by Camilla Collett (nee Wergeland) i

Amtmandens Daughters: The main character Sophie find that two of her three older sisters are married offto men they do not really want. They are very unhappy, and Sophie swears that it will never happen to her. The third sister married the other hand, the man she loves, but notthis marriage is a happy one.
Throughout the story we are, next to Sophie's family, to know the tutor Georg Kold.Through a series of flashbacks in the form of diary entries, letters, etc., we learn that the relationship between Sophie and Kold in the beginning was tense. Sophie travels then tohis aunt in Copenhagen for a while, and when she returns to the farm, it flares up feelingsbetween the two.
Kold, like Sophie, critical convention to family in their time. He is also a mysterious type, which is described as a kind of classic romantic hero. The hero falls in love with words in.Sophie Sophie is a modern woman, who does not believe in marriage as an institution.You could say that she, for Camilla Collett is a kind of ideal woman. Unfortunately, it endsnot as one would hope. When Kold is visited by his friend Muller, he did not dare to acknowledge his love for Sophie, and told Muller that he only plays with her. Thisoverhears Sophie, and their relationship falls apart.
During a family visit to Dean Rein, Dean falls for Sophie, and proposes to her. Powered by its deep disappointment at the Kold's betrayal, and of family and community norms,Sophie says yes. Kold hear about this and tries to intervene, and resolve the situation, but it's all useless. Sophie marries Dean Rein, and ends up in a loveless marriage of convenience. Yet this marriage was not unhappy, because Sophie is surrounded bypeople she loves and who love her.

I am still reading chapter on as it is in old Norwegian and it's a bit difficult to read half Norwegian half Danish..! Camilla Collett grew up in the same city as me, so I feel I should know some of her books...!
 

A few days ago

A few days ago, actually it was Wednesday..I hwas in contact with my brother through sms messages, and he was in Aberdeen for work, so husband and I decided that we'd drive to Aberdeen to meet up with him.

SO..Husband took a half day off work, we picked Catriona up from school at 3, and away we went. i was a little worried as it said SNOW FORECAST, and I got a bit more worried when we drove through a hailstorm, but when it had passed the sun shone all the way to Aberdeen (takes us 3 hours to drive up there)

View from the car, sorry about dirty windows...!

 Trying to get a picture of the lovely moon, but no good!

Not so easy trying to catch the moon while driving rather fast...! 

In the car with Uncle T. on our way to a restaurant...ended up having tapas and that was nice..and we were rather hungry..yum yum..!

 In uncle T's hotel room(that has ghosts in it apparently) chatting to auntie N. via Skype

Another picture on our way TO Aberdeen

As far as I know he didn't finish his work and he might be back in a few weeks time!!

Couldn't believe it

A few weeks ago when Princess and I had to go to East Kilbride to check her vision, we popped in to a charity chop...just for fun, and just to have a look...

I actually ended up buying something, and I know it's not what my simple living is about, but I just couldn't believe what I found....'

It is a plate from Figgjo, with a Norwegian prayer or food blessing...I really just had to get it, and it cost me about £2.50 or something like that...well worth the money, especially since we currently are using baby plates, not for dinner but for our lunches..plastic plates..but this one is a proper ceramic and has been used every day the last few weeks. 

I love it, but of course the true owner is Princess Catriona!

Solveig

Here is a picture of my cat,just testing how to blog from my phone! Have a good night.

Give Away hos Husmor Dronninga

Husmor Dronninga har en giveaway,  grand Cru sett...stikk innom henne!!

Monday

What a lovely day we have had today, the sun has been shining almost all day,  I have done loads of stuff in the house, cleared the kitchen counter had home cooked ribs for dinner, been to dancing , showered, ironed shirts..and Princess got her dance exam results, both in Tap and Freestyle she got a Highly commended..which is the highest mark. It seems all the practising paid off! 

Well done babygirl!!

I hope tomorrow will be another great day...I was inspired today by a lady named Claire, she has lost 2 stone and looks really well! 

That's where I want to be...and I believe I can..come of..Claire goes to Zumba three times every week...so if I start doing my own stuff I should be able to lose some more weight. 

If I have time tomorrow I will do a 30 minutes session, I have to start one of these days..why not tomorrow? 

Will let you know how I get on. 

Now it's nearly bedtime, I will take my cough to the kitchen sink, do the dishes and shine it too, and then head for bed..! I am getting quite tired, and I fancy a cup of chamomile tea before bedtime.

Oh, spring is coming, I saw some mini daisies outside my house..!

 

Tidy up week

Our house has been a big mess the last few weeks, first our washing maching was leaking and it has been in out from it's place in over two weeks, still wet behind it and I need to dry it out before we put it back in....now on the same day the boiler pump stopped working and we have had no heating for same amount of time...so the boiler cover is in the hallway together with all the stuff that normally would be IN the the bolier room.

Yeah, and of course with only one little fan heater the last weeks, it has been rather difficult to dry our clothes...so I had to have a drying rack in the livingroom and I am WAY behind on washing clothes.

Yesterday a new(used) pump was installed and we have heating again..! I have done two loads of washing both today and yesterday, and more to come tomorrow. I have several hours to fix stuff.

Not to forget mentioning that we went shopping today and came home with a bunch of stuff...toilet rolls for a month, tissue paper, washing powder for the next three months...and so on. Feels good but also very messy.

I will try to put the "DO IT NOW" saying into practise...not wait until later..although I  am tired and should go to bed..Guess I am going to start with the do it now, and go and iron that shirt..or maybe all four....?
Do it now...

Princess

Many congratulations to Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden with the birth of their daughter Princess Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary.

What a lovely name you have chosen, and good luck being parents! 

Hours

I have been busy today, I went to help out at a Wegight Watchers meeting, and it was interesting to see the ladies with soot on their forehead...I actually really like the idea...yep, I might be weird but something about the togetherness of religion is something I really miss here in Scotland.

Anyway, this lady arrived...some of the helpers doesn't really like her..she is a bit weird..fairly slim, but neverhappy with herself...last time we saw her she was going to have a "boob job" ...and today she was back...we'll just have to wait and see what happens with Charlene..!

At Brownies today they had their Thinking Day...not intirely sure what it's all about, but Princess seems to enjoy it and that is the important thing. It lasted two hours..which  meant I got one hour to write letters and another hour at the wool shop joining in the knitting group...yes , loved it!

But I better head for bed just now..my Avon delivery guy is coming tomorrow and I expect him between 7.30 and 0800 tomorrow morning,so I bettter be ready!! During Christmas he came just after 7..and I was in my bed sleeping..talking about abrupt wakeup...he must have been laughing at me in his van afterwards....heheh, I don't mind;)

Had a guy over to look at our boiler...we have had no heating for a few days now...and husband needs to get some parts and then Ian will come back and hopefully fix it for us!

I am going to bed now..am soooo tired,, good night everyone!

40 days of fasting??

This little bit of writing is in Norwegian, and it has given me some ideas for the next 40 days. 


The idea is to give up something for 40 days, I am not sure what I am giving up, but it will be an interesting day tomorrow to try out something new. 


NO, I am not going offline for 40 days...
Fastetiden innledes onsdag i den syvende uken før 1. påskedag, og varer i 40 dager. Tiden er til minne om Jesu 40 dagers faste i ørkenen, og 40 er også et tall som tradisjonelt er knyttet til disiplin, hengivelse og forberedelse i Bibelen. Fasten ble tidlig pålagt som en religiøs plikt, men den har senere fått mindre betydning i de protestantiske kirker.

Garfunkel hat

Here is one of my lastest knits, the Garfunkel hat.I absolutely love it

I wish it was a bit more green in it, but the purpleness of it has given me many nice comments these last weeks when I have used it.

I have used King Cole Mirage and I think it was Stylecraft life or that other one..you might know which one I mean..the cheaper one with no wool in it..! Anyhow, I LUUUV this hat and might actually make another one when I REALLY get back into the knitting. Things are going slow just now it seems.

Badminton

Oh yess, finally after years of mentioning this to my husband he has actually opened his eyes to this sport.
SO... I have a new racket for finally starting to play again..it has been plenty of years since I played actively but I can't wait to start playing again.

I just went to you youtube to see a inspirational video of my chilhood friend Helene playing in the finaly of the Norwegian Championship, she was as great as ever.

We have booked a court for tomorrow and I can't wait to play!!

This doesn't really qualify as simple living, but it is something I have wanted to do for a very long time so i have allowed myself to get on with this. It will be very positive for my health as well and that I guess is one of the main things. 

Scared

What a day I have had....I had been away helping out at a Weight Watchers meeting in Shettleston and came home , let the cat out and then saw something brown-ish lying on the lawn of my backgarden. What is that? Is it a Tesco bag that has blown away..so I went out to investigate. And MY GOD, it was a FOX! A real live fox lying in my garden..it didn't move, it was just lying there and stared at me. My hands shaking and yes..I was a bit scared

I ran in, phoned my husband and he said that SSPCA was the best option, so I phoned them. I was told to make lots of noise to see if it could move..I did and it turned around and crawled in the hedge..but I could still see it's tail. So..I went out again while speaking to an SSPCA Officer and by the time she had arrived it had crawled or limped away. It had been hit by a car at some point..my upstairs neighbour said it had been there since atleat 11 this morning and my other neighbour said she let her dog out at 3 last night(???) and her dog had been barking like mad and she NEVER barks..so the fox was probably around then as well...poor thing.

.Now I know that if you get as close and 1.5 m. then you can phone SSPCA and they can rescue it..if it runs away before you get that close...they will never catch it...

This is not MY fox, but it was very similar!

 

Working

Just working towards a simpler life, a life without lots of stress. So today is the day for going through some old toys that my daughter has outgrown..she will be 8 in April and there is no need to hold on to ALL the baby toys..it creates alot of clutter to be honest.

I want a simpler life with less "stuff". Here goes, must be tough !!

Posting

When I write a post here in my blog, I don't usually sit down and plan what I write, I just write what I feel and about the stuff I am thinking about this particular day.

There's SO many things I ought to do right now, but I just want to do other things..I don't fancy hoovering just now..nor going to the bank later on...I don't REALLY want to do the dishes, put them away and certainly not iron Husband's shirts..nope! Not at all..! I have a blocked nose, and tons of energy...maybe I should be good and do the dishes before I phone my granny...yeah I suppose so..I guess...give me strength!!!

About time

It's about time that we got started, YES we have had our first day of exersice this year but it won't be the last. I am hoping for another 30 minutes tomorrow...AND in March my dancing will start up again.

I can't wait to get dancing again...out come the jazz shoes and the tap shoes! These are not the tap shoes 'i have..i just WANT them with the cuban heel and teletones if you can!

I found my camera today, so now I can once again get some photos on here, yay!!

Finally

I have finally managed to get my head round eating healthy and tracking again. I have hardly lost any weight since Christmas and I am not very happy about it.

Today we decided to finally try Quinoa, copied from Wikipedia
Quinoa ( /ˈkiːnwɑː/ or /kɨˈnoʊ.ə/, Spanish: quinua, from Quechua: kinwa), a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium), is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the grass family. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds.

It doesn't really taste much but it definetly fills you up and I guess that is the point. AND it's healthy, now that IS a big plus!!


I feel very positive again, and I am not as hungry as I was last week. I even have a tiny bit energy(...and a snotty nose and a tickly cough- but I can live with that. )


I think we might go swimming tomorrow morning again, the water in the swimming pool was REALLY cold last Sunday, so we won't be there for 8.30 this time..we'll wait until 8.45 and get in the pool at 9. Hopfully those keen swimmers will have given the water some heat.


My 100 days challenge...mmmm haven't been eating any sorts of sweets most days..I think since I started I have had 5 days with some sweet stuff.


 Nevermind,,it's the whole health thing that counts and I don't eat sweets most days...maybe once or twice a 
month.


Now, if I can manage to have a really healthy day tomorrow..i will be SO happy as I know that during the weekdays it's usually not a problem. Besides, we have NO sweets in the house this week and I can't cheat even if I wanted to ;)


I will of course give you an upodate of my weight on Thursday!