Random Witterings!

I slammed my thumb into the ball at the end of the bannister and bent back half the nail and stunned the joint, now can’t bend it properly.

OUCHIES!

… since I updated my personal blog.  Most of my blogging efforts have been spent on my book review website at www.bookthing.co.uk and I just realised I’ve let this one lapse.  Oops!

Today was a bit of a milestone for me.  20 weeks ago, I asked my GP about the ‘Exercise on prescription’ scheme I’d heard about (also known as GP referral at participating gyms).  Luckily the closest one I could go to was West Park Leisure Centre, which is just up the road and also a place I had been to before when I was in one of my less agoraphobic phases, so I was able to keep a lid on anxiety.  While I didn’t know anyone, I was so fed up of my grumpy back and that my weight loss had halted, it gave me the courage to say yes when they contacted me to sign on to the scheme.

Today was my last session under the scheme and I feel really proud that I managed to stick not only at the gym once a week but also take a chance on something I’ve never done before which was Aqua-aerobics.  End results have been around a stone in weight loss and 4 inches off my tummy which is probably the hardest place for me to shift any fat.

The scheme itself was brilliant, the lady who manages it at the leisure centre was lovely and encouraging and the gym instructor who is trained for it was just awesome.  Additionally there was an NHS lady who can ‘buddy’ with you on any activity you wanted to try (it was she that got me into Aqua-aerobics) and I can’t express how much that helped.

For someone like me who has mental health problems the whole thing has been a godsend.

The biggest impact I think was one I didn’t consider and it surprised me.  Suffering from S.A.D. on top of everything else just sucked and I wasn’t looking forward to going into hibernation again.  This year has been the best winter, ever!  Even though it’s been the worst cold/rain/snow wise.  I still have my dysthymic days, that’s unavoidable, but no hibernation or hiding away and my energy levels have been so much better.

I am my worst critic and find it very hard to feel proud of myself no matter what I do.  But for once, I really do

So lately I’ve been getting a bit of a tremor/twitch thing going on which had really started to bug me and after a really bad day of it, finally went to the doctor’s.  Most likely it’s to do with the OCD side of Dysthymia but best to check there isn’t a physiological cause.  Even if it is an OCD issue, there are things that can help.  Anyway, have been put on Betablockers to see if they will do the trick and it does seem to have calmed down a bit.

Yesterday evening my back started to get a bit stiff and sore without any cause I can think of, which means it’s either going to get really grumpy or will just return to it’s normal achy state.  Sure enough, got up this morning and couldn’t stand up straight. Aaaargh.  This has happened a few times before and is excrutiatingly painful for a while before it eases up and I have to do an odd hunched shuffling walk to get around the house.  Outdoors I have to rely on my trusty walking stick which I am now very glad didn’t get thrown away when I lost enough weight to be able to walk unaided.  I’ve lost 6 stone overall!

Anyway, I had a blood test this morning to check for physiological things causing the tremors and shuffled into the doctors surgery and asked if there was a chance I could see someone about my back.  Luckily there was a cancellation just as I asked and was able to see the same doctor I had seen yesterday.  She took one look at me and said ‘you didn’t look like that yesterday!”.  Just call me Igor

She thinks I have a slipped disc and it’s caused the area around it to spasm so I now have some great drugs and if you shake me I rattle!  Tony also keeps laughing at me cos I am smiling amiably at everything.  *hmpf*

Usually the the week before my birthday I get a little down and aware I will be another year older, but no further forward in my bid to achieve some mental stability.  I try and be positive about it and Tony always helps a huge amount and I end up having a good day.  I really didn’t expect this year to be any different.

I was wrong!

I’ve had an utterly fantastic day, been spoiled rotten and had some really lovely cards and wishes from friends and family.  I am now the proud owner of a Dell Inspiron Laptop, some clothes and some books.  Woohoo!

The laptop is very shiny…. my precious….

Thankyou so much Tony, for giving me a wonderful day and making me very happy

I hope you enjoy your own shiny birthday present Mr iPhone! =D

A picture (finally!) of the necklace and earrings Tony kindly bought me for christmas.

They are by a designer called Kit Heath and I just love them

Yay me!

After relaxing my diet over the christmas period and eating pretty much what I wanted, I gained 5 pounds.  Not as good as it could have been but no where near as bad as I feared either.  I’m OK with it, I enjoyed myself and it’s good to let yourself eat what you want occasionally.  I tend to have my breaks around holidays so easter will be the next time I have something nice (yay easter eggs!).

However, it’s now time to get back onto the diet   I do Weightwatchers online and I find it very easy to follow, requires little effort and I get good results if I’m strict.  The first week of being back on it is usually the worst as your body gets used to it again and it can take that long to get your mind and willpower on board.

I went to Tesco this morning and got some food for both of us for tonight so Tony would be able just to come home and not have to do the shopping thing after work.  I’m happy I can help out that way but sometimes it gets hard if I’m craving something particularly bad for me.

This morning tested me – I was craving chocolate in the worst way so I bought socks instead

Pink and black socks.  With cows on

Yay socks!

This morning Tony asked me…

“Is this how you would expect zombie intestines to look?”

He was asking about one of his miniatures he’d painted which was superb, but still… not a question I ever thought I’d be asked 

He’s keeping a diary of painting on his blog here – it’s well worth checking out!

Happy New Year everyone, I hope 2009 will be especially good to you!

So every year, our lovely families ask what we want for christmas and every year we say “book tokens please!”.  The rest of the conversation is usually taken up by trying to get across just how much we love book tokens and they aren’t boring at all to us.  We don’t just say it because we can’t think of anything else but because we genuinely love them. I do understand they seem a little boring tho

I read…. a LOT.  That will come as no surprise to anyone who has seen our library*cough* spare room.  I think people might have nightmares about books when they have to sleep in that room

So amongst the other brilliant presents this christmas we also received some book tokens yay!  And this morning we ventured out into Nottingham and spent them.  I’m such a sad bunny that I get very excited at the prospect and there is much anticipating and feeling like a kid in a sweet shop.  I love it

So we came away with several books and I love them so much I will list them all here.  You didn’t have anything better to do did you?

Jim Butcher – Captain’s Fury
Jim Butcher – The Dresden Files – Welcome to the Jungle (Graphic Novel)
Jacqueline Carey – Kushiel’s Justice
Simon R Green – Haunting the Nightside
Simon R Green – Into the Nightside
Simon R Green – The Dark Heart of the Nightside
Sherrilyn Kenyon – Knight of Darkness
Sherrilyn Kenyon – Sword of Darkness
Karen MacInerney – On the Prowl
Kevin Smith – Tales from the Clerks (Graphic Novel)

I best get started, so much to read, so little time *grin*

A very Merry Christmas!

Santa was very good to me this year – I got Buffy and Angel comics, book tokens, some smellies, a couple of DVD boxsets, a pair of cute PJ’s amongst other things but the most amazing present I received was from Tony and I totally love them.  I opened up one box and inside were an exquisite pair of silver celtic drop earrings which were beautiful and to top that, another box contained a delicate silver celtic necklace with an amethyst gem.  I was actually speechless and may have cried a little… don’t tell anyone tho!

And yes I might have worn my pink PJ’s and the jewellery all day   So classy!

Thankyou so much Tony, I don’t know how I got so lucky to be your wife but I am happy about it every day

Fizz had a whale of a time playing with the wrapping paper and made us laugh by picking her way carefully into the middle of the pile and making herself comfortable.

Bubbles felt it was all beneath her and took up residence on one of Tony’s toolboxes.