Roll on next year!

Here we are December 29th 2011, seasonal celebrations are almost over, surprisingly I've been very cheerful this year.  Had some great news when I visited the doctor's yesterday, my bp which was an average 148/88 has dropped to 122/87 which almost had the Practice Primary Care Nurse dancing around the room. She was the one that I saw last year to have my op wound dressed and the one that started me on the 'Well Man' program back in February.  It was the first time she'd seen me since then, she said she didn't remember me until I mentioned my broken arm and was it really 18 months ago?  Of course this prompted her to go back through my file, "am I really pleased with myself for losing all that weight? am I doing plenty of exercise?" Felt like shouting back "Of course I am you silly woman! Why do you think I'm still doing the diet thingy?"
Managed to get the Apple TV up and running after trying to move it to another pc and messing things up (thanks for the help Bristol IT section leader :-) ) Pauline is getting used to her iPad2, finding some of the apps very useful!  Can't figure out yet why Pauline can't watch the films on her iPad but we'll get there.

Well worth the visit!

Last weekend I made my annual Christmas trek down to Bristol with the presents, it was great seeing everybody again especially nice to see how well the grand children are progressing.  Had a consultation with the local freelance Apple Inc. technician, most fruitful as I have purchased Apple TV2 and a 2Tb external hard drive, had a few pointers on how to manage it, most enlightening.  Managed to get lots of 'free' films during the stay and TV programmes too.  As usual though the visit wasn't anywhere near long enough.
Had the old heartstrings pulled a bit on the Sunday before coming home, asked Thomas if he wanted to see Gran next time I came down and I got an answer I wasn't expecting.... " I want to see Pop and Gran Monday Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday all the time!"
I think at the ripe old age of nearly thirty two Kris has decided he's too old for motor cycling in cold weather, it's far too cold for his bones to stand.  Bit of a relief in some ways with how much at risk motor cyclists are without the added dangers of icy roads and so on.  My Dad was a motor cyclist, I can remember the anguish my Mum went through when he had his accident on black ice in 1963(a really bad year, we had snow right from December through until March) we didn't know what had happened, only that he was very late getting home from work.  Sadly the injuries he received although only minor at the time caused problems that eventually killed him at the age of fifty one in 1973.
Going out for a Christmas drink with some mates from the airport on Tuesday night straight from work, we'll also be celebrating the fact that Mandy (my 'work daughter', I'll tell you the story behind that title when I see you, if you want to know) has like me, finally managed to find another job, working for DB Regio.
Looking forward to Christmas and some more visits to Bristol in 2012!

Nothing in particular!

Sitting here at the laptop feeling really bored, naff all on the television apart from repeated repeats.  Been in the house on my own since getting in from work at 13:00.  Pauline is working 18:00-22:00 but left early to go and see her mate to give her the card and present she bought for her birthday on Sunday.  Been a bit 'up & down' the last couple of days, I think I've got a cold coming my way, been feeling pretty tired too.
Thinking of changing my gym membership to a casual basis as I can't get there often enough to make the unlimited membership worth paying for with the new shift pattern at work.  Finally booked the hotel for my next visit to Bristol on 10th December, just need to remember to tell Paul in work I won't be available for overtime that weekend.  Glad to say I've got Xmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day off this year, including early finishes(between 18 & 19:00) on the 'eves' if I'm on late shift.

Stranger things have happened

It's been a week since my birthday and I'm still feeling pleased with the cards I received, I didn't get one from a couple of people that I normally do but that's life!  I had ones from the people that are important to me and that's what counts.  A big surprise is that for some reason I'm actually looking forward to Xmas this year (stop cheering Pauline!), maybe it's because things are going well generally and I'm enjoying my life again, I don't know!  Yep! 2011 has been a year of good changes for me, long may it continue! 

I can't believe it's almost six months since I started for Arriva, that's got to be a good sign, yes I still have a little moan about certain aspects of the job (doesn't everybody?) but in general I'm really enjoying it.  Everybody treats me like I've been there for years now, most know my christian name if not my full one. 

I need to book the hotel later this week, for my visit to Bristol next month.  It will be another flying visit I'm afraid, but at least I'm getting there again this year.  I've also made contact with a couple of old friends from years ago and they want to meet up, I don't know if there is time in this visit.  I've still got twelve days holiday to fit in before the end of March, so that will mean another visit to Bristol in the early part of next year, hopefully we can meet up then!

Back into the groove!

After two weeks of not being able to get the gym due to work finish times and feeling under the weather, I've just done two days in a row, what a killer!  I was going again tomorrow but I could leave it until Monday as I'm doing overtime tomorrow but off on Monday.Work is going fine, really enjoying being back 'on the road' more than I expected, even working the extra days a week and more hours isn't dragging me down as I expected.
The diet is still going, amazed I'm not fed up doing it though! Not sure how much more I've lost but I'll find out Monday when I go to Weight Watchers again to be presented with my 50lb weight loss certificate, they know it's my birthday too thanks to Pauline, hope they don't sing 'Happy Birthday!' too embarrassing.  One ex colleague of mine who started working for Arriva last week, had a heart attack yesterday so that's his new job and his PCV license out the window. 
The Micra has to have an MOT on Monday, after the new washer jets (the old ones are blocked solid with khack from the bottom of the washer bottle) and drivers door window clips have been fitted, should pass no problem as it's done less than three thousand miles since the last one.  I was surprised to find my road tax had stayed the same and the Micra's had only gone up a fiver.  The expensive thing now is insurance, saying that, I've been offered a three year deal on mine at £369.00 p.a including NCP, legal, courtesy car and windscreen cover with ZERO voluntary and £150.00 compulsory excesses.
Can't wait for next month when I'm off to Bristol again to deliver the Xmas pressies, I will have to ask for plenty of photos when the grand kids open theirs this year, I think they will like them, shame I can only make it a two day stay mid-month.  Another two week break in postings, hmmm I can see I need to do this more often too!

Reallity? who needs it?..... I'm far too knacked!

Well I've been back from Bristol for two weeks now and I must say I'm totally knackered! Been trying to get back into the diet and gym routine but I'm not being very successful, though I have now officially lost fifty pounds after I attended our Weight Watchers meeting with Pauline last Monday(that's after putting a FEW pounds on whilst in Bristol)  I'm looking forward to my next trip 'down south' which is around mid December.  We have sorted/ordered most of the pressies we'll be getting for the grandchildren this year, I think they will like them!

I've been working rather hard since going back to work, it's getting busier day by day in Newcastle city centre.  Just worked twenty hours overtime Saturday and Sunday and looking forward to having tomorrow (Tuesday) off.  Sunday should have been a nice 17:30 until 23:30 shift but I got a call at 13:00 asking me to start at 14:07! not even time for Sunday lunch!  Luckily I've got a six hour shift tonight so I could be feeling better by Wednesday.

 Managed to get myself a shoulder pulley on line for a shade over £8. It was postage free and was supposed to take 7-10 working days to arrive, it came two days later which is great!  So now to add to my busy schedule I have to sit and do my shoulder exercises but I have to admit I can feel a difference in my range of free movement already.

Something has just entered my pea like brain which totally contradicts what I typed earlier in this piece and that is how good I'm feeling since losing the weight, it's because I'm sat here with a dressing gown on that used to barely fit me and now looks huge on me, well what a bummer! I now need to contact the Doctor's surgery and make an appointment to get my blood tests re-done some time soon too.

I forgot to.....

I forgot to say yesterday the weather was absolutely fantastic 21-24 degrees everyday, plus after a weigh in this morning I've only put on a couple of pounds which is great, soon get that off with a session at the gym later.

The journey home was good too, not too much traffic and the weather was still good, only passed through one tiny bit of rain that barely wetted the windscreen. The car performed great, we used just under half a tank of fuel coming home, average 77.8 mpg, and  just over six hours travelling but that was with two stops of over half an hour each.

Home again................

Back home again in Sunderland after what seems like a 'whirlwind' visit to Bristol to see family.  Everyone seemed in good spirits and content.  Thomas has started school and has made plenty of friends, as we missed his birthday in July we took him to 'The Entertainer' toy shop just outside the Galleries Shopping Centre and bought him some new trains for his Thomas The Tank Engine wooden train set.  I think he was very pleased with what he had as he took them to bed with him the same night.  Isabel is getting along nicely, her speech is wonderful and she appears to have a very logical mind. Noah's speech like Isabel's is great and he's very bright too! 

Pauline finally got to see a lot more of Bath, though I did find the 'open top' bus tours a bit disappointing, she also got to visit Cheddar Gorge again.  We had a nice surprise when we went to pay the hotel bill too.  We originally booked a five night stay which would have cost us £305.00 but about a fortnight ago I had an e mail from Brains Brewery with a special 'book a night get a night free' deal for September.  I naturally cancelled the booking I had and rebooked starting a day earlier.  Anyway I went to the reception this morning expecting to pay £305.00 as one night was free but hoping it would only be around £250.00 (2 nights at full price in Sept so 2 free nights allowed) only to be given a bill for just over £200.00. The manager had given us 3 nights free as the offer had been repeated for October, so that money has paid the diesel bill.

We did go to The Bear pub in Hotwells last night hoping to bump into an old mate of mine but there was no sign of him so we went to Ashton Gate and gobbled down some KFC, it was lovely  I am now waiting to see when I can arrange my next visit, hopefully before or around Xmas.

Nothing happening at the moment.........

I'm sat here waiting for my dinner to cook before going to work and just thought I'd write a few lines.  Weighed in this morning at 19.02 which means I've lost 53lbs so by next week when I go to Weight Watchers I 'm hoping to make that 56lbs, though I had lost over half a stone before starting WWs. Had a terrible shock the other day when I took a photo of myself with my phone, I looked awful,  soooo old (shut it!!!)  The weight will probably change the week after as I'm taking Pauline with me to Bristol for a week so with a few FULL ENGLISH inside and 1 or 2 pints who knows what will happen?  Can't wait to see the family again, especially the grandchildren as they seem to be growing up fast.   I can now fit easily into some clothes that I'd bought and 'grew out of' and as they are still in good condition no need to buy a new wardrobe yet, need to wait and see what happens once Xmas is over.
The car is in for it's first MOT on Friday, hopefully all will be okay, can't see there being any problems.  I wanted a service done as well before going to Bristol but Tom is off work ill, so that will have to wait.
That's my dinner ready! Admirals Pie yummy!

Feelinggggggggggg ...................... GOOD!

I must say I feel really good today, had a day off yesterday and a great 9 hours sleep last night.  Did my new gym work out for the second time yesterday, although it was hard doing the third set of reps it felt good afterwards, both legs were wobbling in the same direction and the sweat was streaming out!  Was going again today but I think I'll leave it until Monday morning, I'm at work on Monday but start at 2pm so plenty of time.  Weight management is going well, realised I've unofficially lost 'four stones' since Pauline started going to Weight Watchers, which was about three weeks before me.  Occasionally get bored with the fuss of weighing and 'pointing' stuff but that usually lasts for a couple of hours then I'm okay.  Surprisingly I haven't got bored with the whole idea, maybe it's because I'm getting continued good results I don't know but this is the longest I've stuck to a diet plan, could be because I wanted to do it and not been told I should!
Really looking forward to my hols in three weeks, can't wait to get down to Bristol and see everyone again, just hope the weather isn't too bad it stops us getting out and about as Pauline has a couple of places she'd like to visit, top priority is Cheddar Gorge for some reason(think cream teas)

This is getting serious..............

I've been got at! Paul my PI at the gym has decided to up all my exercises.  I had chosen correctly to go for duration rather than effort, but, he says it would be better to do an extra set of repetitions on the muscle work, as in, 3 sets of 12 rather than the 2 sets of 15, that I'm doing. He also put the weight up 10kgs on the shoulder and chest presses and 20kgs on the leg press, he lengthened the time on the cycles too. I managed to do 2,572 metres in 12 mins non stop on the rower at an average 29 strokes per minute (that's 348 strokes), at the highest resistance, which thank god he can't do anything to! The TGS Key isn't used so I can say I've done what ever I like, but I don't cheat, there's no point!  I'd only be cheating myself, wouldn't I?  I must admit that I am really feeling well and noticing how much easier everyday things are to do.
It's not too long now until we visit Bristol again and I'm really looking forward to it.  We are staying a bit longer than we normally do so we can do a few more things/see a few more people while we are there.  We have some presents for the grandchildren and we also need to take Thom out to buy his birthday present.  Then when we return it'll be time to start for CHRISTMAS! Not sure yet when I'll be able to get to Bristol with those presents, hopefully a long weekend will fall on my duty around the end of November early December (or we might even get a visit around then)
Although I'm enjoying being back 'on the buses' I am finding it tiring doing different shifts every day but I suppose I'll get used to it again, it's also nice having a bit more money coming in.  It would be nice if we had a better fleet of vehicles as we seem to be the dumping ground for all the other depots rubbish.  Then head office moan about how much money Jesmond spends on vehicle repairs/maintenance, what else do they expect.  Our duties change for the third time on 4th September since June, as we have acquired some school runs and are losing some early morning /evening Nexus sponsored services due to cuts in spending by the LPTAs

A nice surprise for me

I was sat here at the computer entering some information into my weight watchers' chart, when I decided to see how much I'd lost in total.  To my surprise I have actually lost 15% of my original weight from when I started this diet/exercise regime back in the middle of March.  Given that I gave myself a year to get to about 20%, I think I'm doing rather well.  If I can keep the pace going I'm on target for around a 35% loss by March next year, which is wonderful and would take me down to about 15 stones of drooping wrinkly flaps of skin!

Good !... but should have been better!

Last night's weigh in was good news but not as good as it should have been. I had a loss of half a pound which earned me another seven pound loss (3 stone so far) I think the problem could be that I'm now going to the gym more and probably building up muscle as well as burning fat, so I've changed my strategy at the gym.  I'm now doing slightly longer duration but dropping the resistance/weight. Which all means the heart rate stays higher longer but less overall effort needed.  Hopefully this will burn more body fat without building up too much muscle.  Time will tell, anyway my next target is 50lbs lost by the end of August which will take me down to just over 19st.  I then have about 4 weeks to get down to my next target of 18.5st by the time I go to Bristol in September.

It's happened!

Well what a great week this has been!  Firstly I've finally joined the gym as an 'unlimited use' member, I've also dropped below 20stone, that's a loss of over 19kgs since the middle of March.  I told Lindsey at WWs that I will be giving it up in 3 weeks time when the vouchers run out, she says we'll talk about that before they run out (she has some digression over payments/weighings) think she wants to keep me going so I can get my certificate for losing 50lbs (don't know what she gets out of it, apart from continuing to see me of course lolol)  Also looks like the 'ole bank account has finally stabilised since I went onto weekly pay and had to go 2 weeks without any and above all I'm feeling great! :-) Paul the Depot Controller is being a bit of a pain, I've got Sat, Sun & Mon rest days this weekend and he puts me down to work Sunday 9 till 7! Shame it's worth so much money otherwise I'd tell him to stick-it!

GYM REVIEW DAY!

Today was the day I was NOT looking forward to as it means the end of my cheap gym sessions.  Yes! I've had my review!  Everything is good news, BP is down to 138/91 from 149/99, my resting heartbeat is down from 77 to 67 bpm (and that was after climbing a flight of stairs to get to the gym) my body fat is down from 55 to 44% and my BMI is down just over 5 points.  I've also lost over 16 kilos in weight, even my lung function had greatly improved though there was little change in the 'grip' test.  Needless to say Paul my instructor was extremely pleased at the results in such a short time (but not as pleased as me of course!).  All I have to do now is decide whether to pay £31.00 a month for unlimited sessions or £4.50 a time on a casual basis.  I'll probably take the first option then if I can't get enough sessions in to make it worth while I can go to casual visits.  Really looking forward to see what the next 18 weeks bring!

Target hit!!

Well I've done it! I've reached my 10% weight loss goal plus 1lb making 33lbs lost to date in 15 weeks ...... looking forward to the next 15 weeks to see if I can hit my new 10% target of 28 lbs. Hoping to be down to about 18st 7lbs or close to by the time I go to Bristol in September.  Got a couple of extra cheap weeks at the gym because Paul(my exercise guru) is on a fortnights hols, so it's going to be 3 or 4 weeks before I can have my re-assessment. The new job is going well, not had too many problems so far.  Surprised myself with how quickly I've picked up the routes considering I do not know Newcastle at all!

another milestone reached with another on the horizon!

Went to Weight Watchers tonight, lost 3 pounds this week, which has taken me 2 pounds past the 2 stones lost marker and left me 2 pounds short of my next goal, which is 10 per cent lost off my initial weigh in total.

It's started!

After twelve weeks my body has got used to me dieting and is starting to reject it! I'll have to give up for a week and then start again on even lower points, happens every time but usually sooner than this. The receptionist at the local medical centre is useless! I took my second Weight Watchers referral letter round last Tuesday week and she's lost it!
Almost time to start driving service buses again, last day at the training school today then depot familiarisation tomorrow. Had a refresher course on the Wayfarer ticket machine yesterday, so many different fares up here it's overwhelming! Still, it will be great to get back behind the wheel and on the road again.

Good and Bad!

The good news is I have finally started for Arriva (30th May), the bad? well after losing only 2lbs last Monday (23rd) this week I put 1lb ON! Last night I went into Newcastle to have a few pints with some friends from Park & Fly as a farewell gesture, we had a great time although most couldn't make it. We are now waiting to arrange another so the 'missers' can make it. Had some lovely comments left on my leaving card and I know most are genuinely sorry to see me go.

Y VIVA ARRIVA!

Well I finally got the phone call I've been waiting for this morning. I start officially for Arriva North East the day after I finish at the airport. Just as well, as Arriva pay is weekly but a fortnight in arrears, which sounds a bit awkward to me but still, it will be very strange going back to weekly pay for the first time since about 1988.
I've arranged an exit interview with the HR dept for Thursday afternoon which should prove interesting. Not that I think they will take much notice of what I say but to see how far they go to defend the management.
I am still going to the gym when ever I can and the Weight Watchers meetings, hope to hit the 28lb loss target tonight, if I don't then it should be pretty close to it, last week was 23lbs so it will probably be around 26 or 27 tonight knowing my luck, still ANY loss is better than a gain.

Bye-bye Park & Fly!

We all now know that I have passed my medical for Arriva North East, I have also printed off, signed and handed in my resignation letter to Park & Fly. I leave at the end of the month, hopefully I can have a week off and then start for Arriva around the 6th June. My current boss Peter 'Cone-head' Guthrie was so shocked to hear the news he almost choked! They are so glad to get rid of me they said I only need to work one weeks notice not the usual four, but just to be a thorn in their side I said I would stay until my last shift this month which is nights on the 29th. I am not best pleased with Peter's lack of professionalism in immediately going in and telling everybody I had handed in my notice before he had it in writing and also making a comment about 'shall we hold a minutes silence?' Still I have an answer for him 'at least Arriva have managed to do in two weeks something he and Eric Wrightson(Land-side Ops Manager) could not do in two years!.... the answer..... GET ME OUT OF THE AIRPORT!'

Things are looking good!

Following a successful interview at Arriva North-East last week I received a phone call on Tuesday asking me to go for a driving assessment at their Jesmond depot on Weds 27th at 13:30h. I duly arrived ten minutes early and waited while the Driving Instructor spoke to some people who had just finished their session. He was very surprised to see me as he thought his next one was at 15:00h. Anyway I did a short test, scoring 9/10, I lost a point over an ambiguous question which I believe according to the Highway Code I answered correctly. I will be interested to see what answer my policeman son gives me to the same question when I see him. Anyway I passed that, we then went out for a drive on one of the most rattly buses I have ever been on. Eventually I took over and drove for 40 minutes or so completing various basic manoeuvres that would be done on service. Needless to say apart from the fact I was a bit rusty having not driven a vehicle that size in normal traffic for a few years all went smoothly. What really made my day was when the instructor made an error that he had 'pulled' me up about not ten minutes earlier, he tried to hide it but I'm not stupid! Now all I have to do is wait for an appointment to see their company doctor and should then be starting a new job around June..... GREAT!

Update on yesterdays post

Had a great work out at the gym yesterday and today. I have changed the order in which I do the exercises and also the amount of effort needed for each. Boy has it made a difference! I came home yesterday and today feeling hungry and exhausted. It's not that I've changed things that much! I have increased the resistance level on both the incline and upright cycles from 5 to 6, doing slightly less distance but working harder. I've also increased the speed from 5 to 5.8 on the treadmill again resulting in a lot more effort needed but walking further as well, I'm already on maximum resistance on the rower so that will stay about the same until I'm capable of increasing the number of strokes a minute or allowed to row for longer. On the weight front, I stepped onto our scales when I got home and on the figure produced I have lost 7lbs this week, making a total of 18 so far

Confused and concerned

I had a telephone consultation on Wednesday with my doctor about the results of my latest blood test. Apparently the results were similar to the ones from July 2010 and she wants me to have a scan on my liver to ensure it is not enlarged. All the symptoms point to the cause as being obese for so many years, exercise and a balanced diet are supposed to be the best 'cure' for a 'fatty liver'. Great! that's exactly what I'm doing now! isn't it? The problem is the last test was taken BEFORE I started my Weight & Exercise Program, I'm due to have more blood taken on the 3rd of May. So do I wait for those results to come back or do I act on what I've been told now? She also mentioned my blood pressure was up... that's strange because the last one I had done it was down five points. I think I need to sort the cycle of tests and results into the correct order before panicking too much. On the weight and exercise front the news is good, I've lost eleven pounds in total in five weeks and broke the 10k barrier again yesterday at the gym, the time for each exercise also seemed to pass quicker, I came away 'glowing' like the embers of a bonfire in the wind (that was a bit poetic wasn't it?) Next session is in just under an hour and another one tomorrow, putting three in this week because I only have time for one visit next week as I'm on nights and going to Bristol on Friday

A milestone (or should that be Kilometrestone?) is reached!

Had a great morning session at the gym today, broke the 10km and 700+ cal mark for the first time. Got to admit it's hard work but I'm enjoying it and feeling great. Hopefully at Monday's weigh-in I'll complete my first stone lost, another benefit has been my blood pressure dropping by five points and of course my BMI although still far too high is coming down, that's down two points which is good. No sign of the 'turkey neck' yet but then there is still a lot there! lol.
19/03/2011 cycles 6km, rowing 1.8km, treadmill 0.8km = 8.6km
14/04/2011 cycles 7.2km, rowing 2.1km, treadmill 0.91km = 10.3km
That's probably about as high as the results will go(maybe an extra 0.5km on the treadmill and the same rowing) as it's all cardio work so the next step is to increase the resistance on the cycles and up the pace on the treadmill but at the same time keeping the heart rate at a level of about 144 bpm otherwise lights flash and warnings appear on the screen plus it's only 12 mins per exercise (10 min exercise + 2 min cool down) Can't wait to see where I'll be results wise in another ten weeks when the course ends :-)

Disappointment reigns!

What went wrong? I don't know! I've stayed below my points every day yet still put a pound on. Lindsay is going to have a rethink on my points total if my weight doesn't alter over the next couple of weeks. I won't be able to make it next week as I'm on lates so it I'm going to have to work extra hard to be good he-he. On the exercise front all is continuing well, I've done a little further in distance but the same calories used, two more sessions this week and the dreaded blood pressure check at the docs on Friday. I must also make an appointment to have a chat with the doc about the results of my blood test last month...... god only knows what news that will bring.

I'm getting there!...........

My Weight Watchers programme is now into it's third week. I'm very happy to say I've lost half a stone so far, just another twenty five pounds in nine weeks needed to get my next lot of free classes. I'm also enjoying the exercise at the gym. Feel really knackered at the end of the session but strangely good. I 'GLOW' for the rest of the day, literally, my arms and face are a very healthy reddish colour for at least twenty four hours. My last session ended with me rowing just over two kms in ten minutes, which is half a km more than my first visit. The distance for the treadmill and the cycles is still just over seven kms because they're set for resistance and time not distance. Next week I have three sessions, Mon, Tues and Thurs. On Tuesday I actually exceeded what was programmed for the first time as I increased the speed slightly on the treadmill plus the extra distance I rowed. Just have to wait and see if the guys change what I'm expected to do on Monday, should be fun! My older brother Alan has finally got himself a lap top computer with Skype so I can now chat and see him at the same time, I think he finds it a bit confusing sometimes. I have booked my hotel for the end of this month's visit to Bristol and Minehead to see family and go to a school re-union. Best news of all this week my Unilever pension is going up 5 per cent per month WOO HOO! pmsl

The hard work starts now!

What a week this has been! Monday I attended my first Weight Watchers meeting and was set my daily points intake, I thought at first it would be hard to eat that many points but as time has shown it isn't. Let's hope I can keep it going! I also attended my first Exercise class this morning, boy if I thought they were going to be easy on me on my first one was I wrong. Did 10 mins each on the upright cycle then the rowing machine followed by the treadmill and finally the 'inclined' cycle. I managed a paltry 1650 metres on the rowing machine which I found the hardest because you have to push with your legs whilst leaning forward at the same time and then lean back and pull with your arms as your legs reach full stretch and with a big belly in the way it wasn't easy. I was feeling rather warm when I finished but twenty minutes after that I was feeling great, roll on the rest of the fifteen week course. Getting back to the diet, I've been very good and not bought any chocolate although I've had the money to do so. I have had a Ripple and Mars Bar but they have been counted as part of daily meal and points, I have NEVER eaten so much fruit in my life as I have this week. All in all it's been very interesting and I hope I get the results I'm hoping for.

Isn't it just typical?

Just my luck, I get twenty four weeks at Weight Watchers offered to me by the doctor and because of my work pattern and WW's restrictions I can't use the offer. I could attend two different classes because I work shifts but I have to attend EVERY week. Even with two there will be times when I can't attend either. I can still do the exercise programme which lasts fifteen weeks and that has an eight week 'nutrition class' attached to it, which is something I suppose. Pauline is going to start WWs on Monday so I'll just work out something for me from what she gets from them. If all goes well in a couple of years (if I'm still around) there should be a slimmer, fitter more wrinkly me.

About time!

It's been a while since my last blog, this has been mainly due to, who knows what? Time just seems to whiz past these days. It seems that my work shifts are going to stay the same as they are now, nobody can find a better alternative, the only difference being the main shift is now made up of 4 not 6, with the seasonals working 04:00-16:00 and 12:00-00:00 shifts. Submitted and had agreed my holiday dates for this year, May, July, Sept and Nov with 3 floating days left. I've decided to take 4 separate weeks this year but that could all change if I get a job with Arriva in April (I've been told that's when they are recruiting again)
We have changed our VirginMedia TV package and now have a V+HD box and faster broadband for less money, which is going to be great when the new F1 and BTCC season starts.
From what I've seen and heard all the grandchildren are progressing along nicely, Izzy insists on calling me granddad and not Pop when she sees me and I've nicknamed Noah as NOSH after a spelling mistake by Caz on Facebook.
One of Pauline's long time neighbours died from cancer on Sunday, she'd been ill a while but no-one knew how bad it was really. I'm feeling pretty proud of Pauline at the moment as she's done really well giving up the smoking and dealing with the side effects of the anti-cholesterol medication she's taking. I'm going around the Doctors later today to see the nurse and get my 'Well Man' programme started, now I can move my right arm a lot more, hopefully in a couple of years or so there will be a lot slimmer and lighter me!

New Year? what's changed?

I spent a lovely four days over Christmas in Bristol with my children and grandchildren, it was really funny watching the little ones opening their presents. Got told off again by my son and d-in-l for spending too much and yet again explained that if I lived in Bristol and saw them every week or so, over a year they would probably get a lot more spent on them! I was full of anticipation, expecting Thom to be really excited when he opened one and found what he had asked for in it, but kids being kids it was 'oh yes I wanted that! but I'm too busy playing with my little toy Woody out of Toy Story' Poor Isabel was just too overwhelmed to get excited, Peppa Pig was EVERYWHERE! Noah was busy playing with all his stuff for a couple of minutes each but always ended up with his kitchen, which was very smart and took his dad AAAGGEEESSS to put together the night before (lololol) Poor Catherine hasn't had her present yet due to a mistake in the delivery address but that should be sorted soon. Pauline had a very expensive bottle of perfume(eau du parfan) and I'll have to spoil her a bit more at the end of this month as it's her birthday. Then came New Year's Eve, I had a few tinnies and a liquer coffee and enjoyed a pleasant evening with Pauline who was not feeling too bright. Nothing has changed at work(yet!) I've still not heard from Arriva and don't really expect to, I think they think I live too far away, still something will come along and there's always the lottery to win