Saturday 27 April 2013

GREAT BRITISH WEATHER!

What to wear on a morning?  Have at least three outfits ready!  The Great British weather has played a blinder again today.

I got out of bed this morning thinking it might be a nice day.  A little chilly, maybe, but the sun was shining and i could see patches of blue sky.  Hanging out the washing I noticed the wind was strong enough for me to have to put extra pegs on the shirts I wa putting on the line!  It was a cold wind but the sun was still shining and was warm when the wind dropped briefly. 

I'd just made a cup of tea and started to tackle my ever increasing ironing pile when I noticed the rain on the kitchen window.  So, five minutes after pegging the washing out it was draped over the radiators, which had to be put on again this morning :-(

Obviously, Sod's Law dictates that the rain shower blew over pretty quickly!  Well, I''m sorry, but I wasn't pegging the washing out again!

So I'd resigned myself to the fact that the washing was going to be dried inside today!  We had the odd shower blow over and the sunshine came back out.  I tell you no lie, at one point it was raining in my back garden whilst the sun shone in the front garden!

The final straw came though when I went to the local shop for the usual Saturday paper and Lotto lucky dip!  It's close enought to walk so I refuse to drive down but the other half was on his way to play golf so he dropped me off!  It was a little overcase at this point but still dry.  It must have been in the shop for all of five minutes, but when I came out the rain had started - and this was no light shower!  I waiting for a few seconds, trying to decide whether to set off and risk looking like a drowned rat by the time I got home and whether to wait under the shelter until it passed.  My decision was made so much easier when the rain turned to HAILSTONES!  In April!  I've heard of April Showers but this is ridiculous!  Anyway, I waiting five minutes watching mini ice cubes falling mere millimetres from my face only for it to stop as suddenly as it had started! 

I got homea few minutes later and havent seen a drop of rain since!  In fact, Barnsley is now bathed in glorious sunshine!

I give up! The English weather has me completely and utterly baffled!

Friday 26 April 2013

KETTLEHELL

As I sit here typing this I am still suffering slightly from Tuesday's (it is now Friday) Kettlebell session. 

For anyone who has never had the joy, Kettlebells is an exercise class around 45 minutes long, each particular exercise being one minute long. 

Ok this sounds easy right?  Right, until you factor in the Kettlebell; a weight (I'm a beginner so I started with 4kg!) with a handle attached.

So, the exercises include squats - a LOT of squats - whilst swinging around the kettlebell.  Bearing in mind the sweat involved with exercise, the risk of someone's kettlebell flying from the hands is high!  Lots of bicep curls, side extensions and lunges to music I'm used to hearing in nightclubs.

Then come the press-ups....oh the press-ups.  What can I say?  I'm not ashamed to admit I can't do press-ups.  Never been able to.  Well, not without sticking my bum in the air.  So, when I managed to do five - yes a full five - "proper" sit-ups I was chuffed to bits with myself. 

I managed a few more sit-ups, even though I struggle with these too!  The stomach crunches and oblique twists were a lot more style!

The class instuctor, Drill Sergeant Alyesha, is a machine.  I swear, her muscles have muscles of their own!  She doesn't let up.  If you dare to stop she will literally shout at you "DON'T STOP".  Seriously the woman is evil. 

The day after, my legs refused to move.  Every time I sat down, a moan accompanied the action.  Even lifting my arms caused slight pain (that would be the press-ups!)

But hey, I've got a holiday coming up and the legs need some conisderable toning before I can be let out in a bikini!  So, next Tuesday I shall be putting myself through the hell again!  Wish me luck x

Monday 22 April 2013

MONDAY......URGH!!!!!!

Don't you just love Mondays?  No?  Ok, ok, me neither!

I feel them looming from around 7pm on Sunday evening.  The dread that another week is almost upon us.  Another week of having to drag myself out of the comforting warmth of my bed at the crack of dawn, after a brief and fruitless battle with the alarm clock. 

Then there's the drive to work.  The usual, busy rush hour traffic, slowed down by the various sets of roadworks that have appeared over the weekend. 

Mondays at work seem to be a lot longer than any other day.  If you're lucky you manage to get a grunted greeting from colleagues who are equally bleary-eyed (some still recovering from Satuday night).

A while ago, I added extra pressue to my Mondays by joining a well known slimming club.  This is filled with a mixure of people.  The one's who have been going for years and continually yo-yoing and seem totally unaffected by this week's gain.  Then there's the smug "oh look how much ive lost this week!".   Then there's me, completely hit and miss....i usually have a couple of good weeks followed by a couple of horrendous weeks - there's only so long I can go without chocolate and pastry (not together obviously). 

All in all Mondays are completely horrendous but hey, its Tuesday tomorrow and one day closer to the weekend :-)

Friday 12 April 2013

GOLF WIDOW

Ok, I can't say I didn't know what I was getting into.  I knew when I met the other half he enjoyed his golf.  I even joined him a couple of times and took an interest.  He even took me to the driving range tried to teach me to play and to be fair he's a better teacher than I am a student.  My co-ordination isn't the best (I never got the hang of the whole rub your belly and tap your head thing), so trying to keep my shoulders straight, bend my knees, keep my feet flat and keep my eyes on the ball was a task in itself! 

He goes every weekend, weather permitting and I love my me time.  He has his golf, I have my writing.  He recently won a competition to play in a ProAm competition - I'm very proud of him :-)

I enjoy 'trying' to play.  I even take in interest when he talks - very technically - about the game.  I still get my bogies confused with my birdies and I couldn't tell you how many under par you need to be to get an Albartros, but I'm learning - slowly

However, The Masters has started this week.  For anyone who, like me this time last year, knows little about golf, this is apparently a big deal!!!!!  Four days of golf.  I agreed he could watch it when he gets in from work and I will watch my soaps on catchup at weekend.  I now realise watching golf is not as entertaining as playing. 

For a start off, the live coverage starts at 7pm, however Augusta don't allow filming until 8pm.  So, we have an hour of technical talk. 

When live play starts, we have 5 interactive options.  You can actually pick which hole you want to watch, which player. featured groups, one particular part of the course or you can listen to more techincal stuff!

This goes on for four days!

We recently got a popular television package so that I could watch F1 and football.....I now realise this may all have been a cover.....he just wanted his golf!!! ;-)

Friday 5 April 2013

TROLLEY RAGE

Hate, such a strong word, but one that perfectly sums up how I feel about the weekly supermarket shop.  Stick me in the middle of a shopping mall with shops filled with clothes, handbags and shoes and I'm as happy as Larry, the supermarket however, is a whole different story.  I can go in there perfectly calm but come out like the Incredible Hulk's less tolerant sister!  Granted, I'm not famed for my patience but that place really gets me all fired up.  Today's experience was no different. 

It starts in the car park.  Usually it involves driving around the car park desperately trying to find a space.  Upon locating a free space another car seems to appear from nowhere to steal the space.  Cue foul language, usually reserved for the driver of the huge people carrier who has chosen to take up two spaces rather than try to park properly!

Once I've managed to find a parking space and squeezed out of my car, the fun really starts.  I invariably get the wonky trolley with a mind of its own.  Not only does it not go the way I want it to go, it ALWAYS drags me towards pretty shoes and sparkly handbags!

Then comes the fruit and veg aisle.  No matter which supermarket I visit, and I've tried every one, the fruit and veg aisle is ALWAYS the busiest.  Why?  Why do I have to fight my way through the crowds to get my hands on a bunch of bananas?  Assuming I survive the fruit and veg carnage the rest of the supermarket poses further problems.  First of all is The Browser.  The Browser will scrutinise every item on he shelf weighing up the pros and cons in an attempt to get the best value.  Personally, I go for speed (I usually get back in the front door no longer than an hour after I left!).  

Then there's The Bargain Hunter, similar to The Browser, but will seek out the BOGOF deals or the 'Reduced to Clear' items  in a bid to save a few pence.

There's the elderly couple unintentionally holding everyone up on the cleaning product aisle as they try to manoeuvre the trolley they picked with the wonky wheel, followed by the young couple who have just set up home together and trying to decide which detergent to choose. 

There's The Blocker, the one who blocks off the end of the aisle with their trolley so that everyone else has to try and weave their wayward trolleys around said Blocker.  Similarly, there's the one who abandons their trolley and goes back three aisles to find something they forgot. 

There's the gossipers, the ones who stand having a conversation in the freezer aisle, seemingly oblivious to anyone who just wants to get to the frozen peas!

The funniest are The Husbands.  Without wanting to sound sexist, it is mainly the womenfolk who do the shopping.  That said, you can tell the men who have been dragged along against their will.  They saunter along with the trolley, looking bored and constantly checking their mobile phones, occasionally obeying orders to retrieve something from a higher shelf.  They shuffle past other Husbands with pitying smiles and knowing nods. 

Then comes the checkout.  This is a whole new game.  You are made to feel like the biggest threat to the planet if you haven't brought your own carrier bags.  Then comes the million dollar question "Do you need any help packing?"  There is no correct answer to this question.  If you reply with a sweet "yes please." the looks could kill and if you say "no, thank you." this is seen as a challenge and your shopping is thrown at you much quicker that you can pack it.  Then there's the inevitable heart attack when you realise how much you've spent, before returning home to unpack your increasingly expensive shopping - but that's a tale for another day.

Maybe I ought to sample the delights of online shopping from now on!