September Dryathlon

Yes JG hope things sort themselves out soon. Anything we can do to help just say or PM

I've managed 3500 steps today - easing back in so knee doesn't start playing up again. Only had tiny glass of tonight and no snacking either. So feeling more in control.

Donated to SmokeyPaws, a charity that provides pet oxygen masks to Fire Brigades and they are going to give our local firefighters a complete set of masks

I love Quizes too Maggie but haven't played in a team since we moved here. Used to play in the Merseyside Quiz League.

How's it going Ana?

Thank you all - lovely ladies It's a little tense here just now but to help me get through I have been 'on the go' starting with the treadmill this morning - I am currently up to 9,483 steps - it's true exercise certainly helps

I had a few spare minutes and I just wanted to check in with you all - it looks as though steps are going well. It's very comforting to do a quick catch-up before I fall into my bed and try and find the energy to start again tomorrow - thank you all so much

jogginggirl

I have fallen woefully short of my daily target so far this week, but have been concentrating on redecorating two of the spare bedrooms which have had no attention for nearly 20 years and I desperately need to sell the house next year (if not sooner!).

It's a pity arm-strokes (as in painting) don't register on my pedometer!

Well done, one and all, some of you under difficult circumstances too .

DGS2 and I have been kept in by the rain today. We have been baking biscuits and making dens in the kitchen (where I was reminded why it's not a good idea to have a 2 year old playing under a table just a tad lower than his head....). Even having DH throw me out of the car at the bottom of our hill on the way home and trudging miserably up it in the gloom and drizzle didn't help much. Just over 2000 steps. Oh dear.

And I'm on a fast day so no for me. Off to see my sister tomorrow, and I will be making up for this deprivation.

I once spent the whole of Sunday cleaning paint work, putting down dust sheets, masking the walks then glossing paint work, cleaning with my mess the odd splash, washing dust sheets and brushes and my step count was less than 500 and I broke out in many sweats, up and down ladders, crouching to reach skirting boards.

SO...Ana I am making a unilateral declaration that decorating counts as arm steps. Anyone else agree?

.JG keep on running ...as the song says X

Maggie

Now have keys to a Victorian 3-bed terrace which will 'do' - now have to get some furniture then we can move in. Will go tomorrow to see if we can figure out the central heating system. The landlady doesn't usually allow pets but she heard about our situation and has waived her rule - lovely lady

PS 4000 steps and excuse all the typos.

Oh, that's good news Anya

(I meant about the landlady, never mind the steps...)

Thanks for good wishes ladies. Just about keeping head above water here and still running.......it helps to block it all out with stress

Anya - so glad to read that you have somewhere to go - and that Murphy is welcome too - bless that landlady

Arm strokes definitely count Ana - as long as there is no wine involved

Maggie thank you for making me smile xxxxx

A funny one to finish - my DH took our DGD to see my DM the other day - and once my DM had her head around the fact that DH was NOT DGD's father things seemed to go well. Until that is ...... DM decided to play hide and seek with the DGD diva and hid behind the sofa - when found she had to be hauled up by the 6-year-old because she couldn't get up..... What am I to do with her .... ... my mother that is ...

Funny, yes, but quite lovely as well - young children can so often be very kind, I've found!

Sorry you're still stressed though, jogginggirl, life can be a bitch sometimes, can't it?

No improvement on my step count, but am going great guns with the decorating! I'm learning things I never knew before, such as how useful decorators' caulk is and how to fit a 'Twist and Fit Tension Rod' curtain rail - tricky but do-able...just.

IMPRESSIVE Ana - I'm trusting there is such a rail and you've not just made that up I see a whole new career opening out ahead for you and a white van with a fitting logo on the side. Any suggestions for this folks?

Hang on in there JG and where's Maggie tonight?

I was at my sister's, Anya, snoring (allegedly) on her sofa from around 9.30! We had an early start to get there, picking up DD2 and DGS2 en route, a lovely big Italian meal out with the family, a couple of Peronis, and there I was gone, spark out, felled in the middle of a lively conversation. I'm such a lightweight - DH had done the driving, DS - who is, incidentally, 13 years older than me in years but not in energy - had made us a lovely lunch and sorted out the bedrooms, etc, and they were both full of beans when I took me off to bed at 10. I wouldn't care if I'd done a lot of brisk steps, but no, just 2400. again....

The [sun] shone for us this lunchtime, and we had a delightful. couple of hours shellseeking on the beach on the way home. I even got in a couple of brisk solitary walks up and down the pier and along the front while the others frittered their pennies away in the amusement arcade. So I have at least hit today's target. Just as well, considering the fish and chips and salted caramel ice cream on the prom!

And now I have a Halloween party to organise. Tonight I will be mainly sewing a witchy cloak and carving pumpkins.

For Ana I'm thinking stepladders rampant with crossed paint brushes.

Anya, I'm so glad things are moving for you, and jg, lovely story about your mum. Keep smiling, both.

Yes, things are moving but we've not seen a b****y penny up front yet and I've spent £1000 on bit and bobs. Soon mounts up eg £300 on new bedding (duvets, pillows, sheets, duvet sets, towels) ... We move in on Wednesday (allegedly) IF the furniture is delivered.

Were it not for the generosity of family (putting us up and feeding us) Muslim friends who've offered to rent us their property on a month to month basis (plus dogs) and neighbours (feeding chickens, collecting mail, etc) we'd be up the Swanny without a paddle.

When all this is over and I've got my settlement I'll be naming rubbish insurance companies to avoid and more to the point loss assessor companies who don't know their arse from their elbows

Did 7000 steps incidentally

Was that just from pacing the floor in understandable frustration, Anya?

Sending you good vibes and hoping that things will improve very soon. I would also send you some left-over Hallowe'en sweeties if I could (to save me from myself ). We only had 4 lots of little 'uns a-knocking before we went out at 8 to a comedy night in town. It was surprisingly quiet there. I'd envisaged us walking to the theatre clutching each other in terror, fighting off crowds of zombies, vampires, ghouls (I'm blessed with a vivid imagination) - I'm sure they were holed up somewhere, but we saw none at all.

The family are over tomorrow for our own little Hallowe'en party - very low key and toddler friendly, but I am sure heads will be well and truly done in by our banjo playing skeleton and the Monster Mashing pumpkin I just had to buy when my DGS danced with it in Sainsburys and decided its name was "my sweetheart". No doubt I'll be calling it something slightly more earthy after a few hours of Monster Mash tomorrow!

Only just over 3000 steps today. I shall have to have a marathon stepper session tomorrow to top up the week once the hordes have left (I know October ends today, but I missed a few days at the start).

JG where are you?

Come to that where's Ana too.....I know she's around 'cos she's on other threads

November challenge is to keep up with the steps, try to whittle an inch or two off the waist (not sure how - all suggestions considered but I refuse to wear tight underwear) and to limit my alcohol consumption to 9 days this month

Yes, I am around but have not been doing well on the step front! However, painted two walls this morning (how long does it take to get a roller clean...? ) and am about to fit a new lampshade in one of the bedrooms.

The trouble is, what I've done is now showing the rest of the paintwork up...

I've also done a bit of garden tidying and collected some more windfall apples and haven't checked my pedometer yet - will report later to see if there's been any improvement...

Hope JG is OK - well done the rest of you!

That's the trouble with decorating, it makes everything else look a touch dingy. I always end up with paint splatters in my hair and on my face and hands.

Chuck the soft part of the roller out Ana it's not worth the effort cleaning it.

Hey! I'm here - it takes more than a storm to keep me down - and I really hope there is not a tornado looming.......

As you all know, it has been tricky at chez jogginggirl but I am still here and running..... We had the expected Halloween party yesterday with DG1 , trick and treating was a little disappointing as only 2 of the 3 neighbours were at home - but the neighbour who was there had excelled at the treats basket - DG1 was well pleased - but probably more pleased to get the halloween make-up off ...

My mum apparently spent the whole of Friday looking for me in the garden - and then she cried when she couldn't find me ... I rushed over there yesterday but she was just fine - she had forgotten she was looking for me and was even more pleased that we were accompanied by her GS whom she rarely sees but adores and her GGD1... We sorted out the pill careousel, emptied the fridge of past-it-dates and re-filled it with fresh food. All plugs were checked, batteries replaced in hearing aids and answer phone checked + many more tasks but we left a happy lady

My steps total today is 12,533 - but don't be impressed/intimidated - if I didn't run I would most probably go insane ...

I am keeping up to date with you all - though we have had no internet for the last 3 days..... Ana - it sounds as though you are an ace decorator and I may be coming to you for tips - apart from the odd touch-up I haven't done any real decorating for years
Anya - your post telling of all of those who have offered help fills me with joy - for you especially, it is so important now that you feel that you have that support. I know you 'joke' about it but I can't help but feel that this must be such tricky situation for you and DH plus Murphy .... I applaud your spirit xxxxx
Maggie - your humour sustains me and all of us I'm sure - every single post of yours makes me smile... xxxx

My November challenge is to continue to 'run through it' - no tight underwear definitely (yuk, how uncomfortable is that..?) alcohol - 9 days a month seems achievable and keep breathing ...

Ladies - you have no idea how much this thread is keeping me going - a HUGE thank you xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

JG

I think we can safely say Murphy has settled in and recovered from his trauma.

Aww...

Bet you wish you could relax like that, Anya.

Good to hear from you, jogginggirl!

So good to hear from you, jg xxx. I think we were all starting to worry. Bless your mum - it must be such a comfort for her to have you.

I am going to purloin some of your steps this week and count them as my own. Without them I have achieved a paltry 24000, so not even 3500 a day . I said I would make up for it on my stepper tonight, but I have just flopped down after a day of making cheese and twiglet broomsticks, ghostly biscuits, chipolata mummies etc, seeing them demolished by my dear family and clearing up the devastation afterwards. I've also taken down the spooky decorations, got the cloak off and the jeans back on and scrubbed off the witchy makeup, prior to settling down to Downton. I shall not be moving from this sofa till bedtime, unless it's to fetch a !

I am resolved to do better this week. For starters I'll probably have to walk over to the dentist, as a piece of spooky green toffee popcorn took out a massive filling today - I must admit that when I bought it the till operator said he wouldn't put that stuff anywhere near his mouth. I thought at the time he was a grumpy OG, but now recognise him for the wise old sage he evidently is.

Inspired by Anya, I'm also going to whittle an inch or two off my waist this month, as well as keeping up the steps. I thought I'd dust down my yogalates dvd, and do it 3 times a week, as it has some waist-trimming exercises. That's enough for me though - the alcohol stays!

Anya, Murphy is in roughly the same position on his sofa as I am on mine .

Apparently Maggie this is peak time for dentists as people remove their fillings on Halloween and Bonfire Night (ouch) I nearly choked on my diet cream soda when I tried to imagine you lying on your sofa like that

Yes, day 1 and my alcohol is 0/30 I'm allowed up to 9/30 - that's not units incidentally that's day when I imbibe. Managed my 5000 steps yesterday.

Good to hear from Ana and JG and as I'm sitting alone (except for Murphy) in our new rental (which is completely bare of furniture, not even a kettle or a cup) waiting for Dunelm to deliver some bedding for furniture which may or may not arrive as promised in Wednesday, I'm thinking I might indulge in a few yoga stretches myself

Keep on decorating Ana and hang on in there JG and keep on running (((hugs)))