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

Holidays are coming....the holidays are com........

Can't believe it! in less than 10 hours I shall be embarking on my long awaited journey to Bristol for the Xmas holiday. The weather is threatening to spoil it but I'm sure I'll get there. As usual I have so much to do and only four days to do it in, still I'll have a go! (Don't mean to sound like Santa there lolol) Hoping 2011 brings a change of fortune as well as a New Year, having said that 2010 is ending well.

10 days to go.........

Well not long to go now, only ten days and I'm off to Bristol for Christmas. I'm really looking forward to it so I hope the weather is okay. This one is special as it will be my first Christmas day in Bristol since moving to Sunderland in 2001 and being with my kids and the grandchildren will be wonderful. There are plenty of presents to be distributed. I'm disappointed Pauline is not coming with me but I do understand her reasons for staying home.

All's well that ends................

I received some good news this morning, my request to transfer my private reg to the Fusion has been given the go ahead by the DVLA, I just have to inform Kwik-fit Insurance now. The Micra is great and I've sorted out what the 'noises' are by adjusting the tyre pressures, it also came with a surprise gift..... a child's booster seat in the boot lolol. The garage that has looked after the Astra since I've had it have decided that they will buy it from me to use as a loan car. All-in-all I'm quite pleased with the way things have worked out as we have had the equivalent of over £800 for the Astra, which I would never have got by selling in privately. After a blog from my son I'm glad to hear he has finally found out what is causing his back problems and that although it is not curable it is treatable and should not cause him too much bother in the future as long as he follows the prescribed treatment. Christmas is almost upon us and I'm getting a little excited about spending it with family in Bristol for the first time since moving to Sunderland in 2001

It's been over two weeks since my last blog and I decided it's about time I did another. A few things have happened, namely I'm a year older and feeling it (lol) Pauline and me have decided to sell the Astra and have bought a V reg Nissan Micra Profile with only 23000 genuine miles on the clock, only problem it's metallic GREEN, like the Astra which failed it's MOT this week (for the first time). It won't take too much to get it through, it's only the front brake balance, it's due new discs and pads anyway (£60ish). I will transfer the number off the Astra onto the Fusion before the end of the month. Someone who will not be named made a comment about driving a 'shoe box', good I thought from someone who has owned several Clios and now has an Audi TT! Work has gone really quiet, too quiet but that's the winter season. Everybody is on edge as there is talk of the shift pattern changing to 6 on (3 early + 3 late) 3 off, which cuts right down on the number of weekends we get off, though it does mean shorter shifts. I don't like the idea of always finishing on late shift and starting on early shift. The first 'rest' day is always spent catching up on your sleep. All the bus drivers at work are a little angry with the company as they are refusing to put us through our driver CPC course so we can keep our licences legal as they are now asking why they employ PCV drivers when it's private land? and why are we paying them extra to 'sit on their backsides all day'? All I can say to that is we are paid extra because we had what the company needed and the insurance costs are lower because we do. There have been a couple of interesting driving jobs advertised but all involved nights away, I don't think I could go back to that, I'm still keeping a look out.

Halloween woes

What a week-end this is going to be! a thirteen hour shift tonight, the first of four. Had the renewal quotes from Swinton for the Astra and the Fusion, the Astra isn't too bad, it's only about twenty quid more. The Fusion? well that has almost doubled to six hundred. Swinton say they have an alternative quote of just over four hundred, I've been on the net and had a quote of three hundred and twenty including protected no claims and excess insurance so if Swinton want to keep both cars they have to come down quite a bit. Still keeping an eye out for another job, most of them are temporary via agencies which I don't really want and the permanent ones are all basic wage. Looking forward to my three days holiday next week, thinking of having a very good drink on my birthday as I've got a FULL fridge of beer LOLOLOLOL. Pauline is very happy with the new system at work as it's given her a 7 am until 2 pm shift today and a few other good shifts. Time to go and get some dinner and think about sandwiches for work.