A very unexciting weekend

I had a very efficient start to my day on Friday. After packing off Phil to work, I wrote a blog and managed to get up it up and posted along with some photographs. I don't know why I always like to publish first thing rather than half way through my day, rather boringly, I am a creature of habit. I stopped off at the market to buy a bunch of the red seedless grapes that Phil is so fond of these days and was in my gym kit and just had time to do 30 minutes on the cross trainer before the start of my pilates class at 10.030am. I've been meaning for ages to try out some of the different exercise classes at DW but just don't seem to have got around to it. On Friday morning I did the pilates class. I haven't done a class for years and was a little nervous and positioned myself at the back of the studio.

Unfortunately Michelle, the instructor soon discovered I was a novice and picked on me from start to finish, correcting me on my breathing and movements. I couldn't wait for the hour to be up and eventually when it was finished, I was putting my mat away when Michelle cornered me. She asked what I did to work out and when I told her, she told me I wasn't very flexible. When I told her that I run and do weights she said the weight training would explain why I was so tight (well that's the reason I do it Michelle) and that the running has made me loose my body flexibility. Actually I disagree with her entirely, I want a tight body and I was never 'bendy' as a kid. And as for that thing with hooking a piece of elastic round your feet, what's with that? I won't be doing Pilates again in a hurry; I didn't like it 10 years ago and nothing has changed. However I won't let the pilates class disaster put me off and I intend to try all the classes that DW offer, after all they are free and there must something that I like and am good at. Surely?? This week I am trying 'Zumba' which I think is some kind of African dancing thingamajig.

Nearly 6 weeks after my falls on the ice, I am almost recovered. I can still feel a twinge of sciatica in my bum when I sit for too long but am back to doing 5k runs. I think a lot of the remaining pain is to do with my posture which BTW is crap. Not being able to do much cardio whilst recovering has given me time to focus on weight lifting and I am still keeping this up along with the cardio. The results have paid off and I am pleased with my bingo wings, they are 100% improved, not quite perfect but not that far off. My upper body is more toned and the tops of my thighs don't meet in the middle, something that hasn't happened in years. Now all I have to do is work on my 'core'. I guess I'll always have a 'wine belly' as long as I’m still drinking wine, no rocket science there but I really want to get rid of the rolls of fat that hang over the top of my jeans; I think these are my 'love handles', whatever, they are gross. I'm some high body impact classes will help with these and along with less wine and more sit ups they should improve at least. I have a 50^th party on the 4^th of March and I want to look my best so not much time left.

Phil's weight loss has waned a little, certainly not coming off as fast as it did in the beginning but that's not unusual, the main thing is that he hasn't fallen off the wagon. He quite happily accompanied me to the gym on Saturday morning and had a good workout which included some weights. Although most of the time I saw him on the machines I didn't see much action, he seemed to be sitting, puffing and wiping himself with his sweat towel rather than lifting!

 

After our workout we filled up with petrol at Asda then went to The Mandarin at Shenley Lodge because Phil had spotted in The Citizen that they had a meal deal; 3 courses for only £6.50. We had soups to start (good) and then Phil had the Singapore noodles and I had chicken chow mein for mains. Both very disappointing, no taste and no spices. There was a good selection of main courses so maybe, we just made the wrong choice. I dunno, the service was a bit and miss and I'm don't think we'll be rushing back.

The remainder of Saturday afternoon was spent in front of the telly. It was so grey and miserable outside that we didn't fancy going for a walk plus it was very windy. Phil got the first series of 24 from the library but our bloody DVD player was playing up and after several attempts we gave up in the end. Phil found some episodes of 'Come Dine with Me' to watch whilst he reclined on the sofa next to me and read his books. And that was how we spent the first day of our weekend.

Sunday really was a little more of the same. I went to the health club for a workout but decided against it when I got there and had a swim instead. I think I maybe going overboard on the exercise front and its good to give the muscles some time off to rest and recover. Plus, with all this working out, together with Phil's diet means the weight is pouring off me. This normally wouldn't be a bad thing but I'm now in the 7 stones and still plummeting so I shall have to be careful. Slim is good but scrawny middle aged is not. For once the pool was empty which is unusual for a weekend, normally its full of screaming kids. I think it makes a difference if you get there early, must try and remember that for another time. After my swim and shower, I popped into Asda for papers and a few bits and then went home to start on the Sunday lunch. Phil was upstairs writing his book and Harriet was still in bed so I worked in the kitchen, unaided and undisturbed. Although Phil didn't come with me to the gym, he did do an hour and a half on the exercise bike. If he does this every night after work this week I shall be very pleased with him. Very pleased indeed.

 

Sometimes I don't know why I bother with a Sunday lunch, it takes ages to prepare and cook, then a few mouthfuls and its gone and then you're left with all the clearing up to do. And in our house, its me that's left with the mess. My house mates finish their plates and then bugger off as soon as they can. Still, there were loads of vegetables left over so they will do for my vegetable soup that I am going to make later today, every cloud hey.

Harriet went to get in the shower after lunch yesterday and could only get a trickle to come out. The pump was making funny noises all morning when I put on the kitchen tap and we suspect that the pump has broken. Our whole bathroom needs work and attention, if it was down to me I rip the whole thing out and start again but its not an option because of time and money. But it needs sorting and cannot be ignored, we do need a shower. I never use our shower because I hate it so much so I shower at the health club. However, Harriet and Phil do use it and need to have a shower before going to work. And this is not a good week for the shower to pack up, we have a guest coming to stay.

February is not a good month for me and I feel fairly down in the dumps. Lots of things on my mind at the moment and lots of things that I am very unhappy about; worse still I'm not too sure what I am going to do about them. I am looking forward to March when the clocks spring forward, when the nights will get lighter and I am sure life will look a whole lot nicer.  Maybe.................