September Dryathlon

Hello everyone, have been busy like most of us, and thankfully got all the Christmas decs out of the way and done all the polishing ( that had hidden itself under holly swags etc.)One household job that I actually enjoy doing, the old polishing!
We have had so much rain here ( yes, it rains sometimes in Oxfordshire!)?
so, have stuck to walks around the village, even though there are some stunning river walks, it's muddy and dangerous in parts.Heading to nearest market town tomorrow ( Witney) if I bump into Cameron, then I shall tell him we are sick of the rain and when is he going to do something to put a stop to it!Otherwise I may have to vote Labour, as Corbyn has promised a tropical paradise if he gets into power.
Anya are there many bears around Sunderland way? Never setting foot there in that case.
No alchohol is easier than no more mince pies btw.My tipple is a slug of elderflower cordial, with water and topped up with diet lemonade.

And you have been/are a champion quizzer Anya - is there no end to your talents

My steps were pathetic again today - probably due to the fact that I have spent most of the day on the phone : Age UK, Alzheimer's Society, Carer Support, Telecare, Meals on Wheels - to name a few. Lots of lovely, helpful people out there and I feel quite positive for my dm going forward We have a number of referrals and assessments to go through before things happen except for meals on wheels who can start immediately! Now just have to convince dm that this is the way to go

Personal terrorist trainer is back on Thursday and I have asked her to bring a bloody big stick with her to whip me back into shape.

A visit to the local hospital tomorrow where diva 2 will have a full set of bloods done to confirm or otherwise glandular fever (?) or establish if there is any other problem. She has been quite jaundiced and we are hoping that this is due to the GF - she also has Gilbert's Syndrome... DD is worrying because she herself has CFS/ME and Fibromyalgia and Gilbert's Syndrome ...
Fingers crossed ?

Confess to missing a tonight - just the one you understand - but I didn't weaken

I've said on the Dry January thread that some of the non-alcoholic alternatives sound tempting. So does your cocktail, Anya, though I feel the name may need work

The bugs have passed me by so far, jg, but there's time yet. DDIL now has a stomach bug to add to the mix, so I feel we're playing Russian Roulette, dodging viruses instead of bullets

I'm sorry to hear you've been feeling low, Ana. It's a funny old time of year, isn't it? Sometimes we can feel down in the middle of the relentless good cheer - then of course it all ends with a bump, even if we've enjoyed it all. for you, seeing as you can't have the

I did well on the steps yesterday, marching four miles in the drizzle with DGS2 asleep in the pushchair. But I've only clocked up 3000 today, as I've been mainly minding DGS3 and taking down the Christmas tree (sob). And of course hoovering up the ruddy mess that DH left behind when hauling it out through the kitchen (showering everything in reach with pine needles and scooping up various utensils and hanging decorations as he went). The rest of the decorations can come down tomorrow evening - I have quizzing to do tonight.

Oops Anya - no offence intended
Perhaps I should follow Maggie's example and shut down the computer at 9.p.m. - I might be able to stay out of trouble then

I reckon you could do a Dragon's Den with your Slim Slime Surprise - you could make your fortune - like you said "there's life in the old dog yet" - oh no - there I go again...I'll shut up down now

In my time? In my time ?

I'll have you know there's life in this old dog yet

Christmas can be hard Ana and New Year too, especially when we remember those we have shared these times with who may not be with us any more (((hugs))) I hope you managed some precious time with your lovely GDs and they brought a smile with them?

You did make me when I thought of you booting the back door though.

So have you an interesting fact to share JG? Should we have a special day when we do this perhaps?

I've discovered an 'interesting' alcohol free cocktail: 1/2 can diet cream soda, a little slurp of lime cordial and top it up with diet tonic. Umbrella and cherry optional. I call it Slim Slime Surprise

See the new emoticon just for us. That's day 3 sorted and steps 6000+ as it was the lesser of two evils to take four grandkids and three dogs for a walk in the mud park, than to have them all under my feet all day.

And no trousers arrived yet though I'm reliably informed by Amazon they 'have been dispatched' ( humanely I hope) which means they will arrive in the 15 minutes I nip to the shops even if I've been in all day.

Hope Maggie's bugs bipassed her and Roses is thriving too?

[Moon]

No need for shame Ana very little in the way of activities here - wretched weather I'm sorry to hear that you have been feeling down since Christmas - it can be a tricky time and if you have been unwell that won't help. Hope you have some hefty footwear on when kicking that stubborn door !!Sending to lift spirits Fingers crossed on your sale

An eventful day with dm - who was definitely on a parallel universe today - it took a while to 'bring her back' to the present but she got there in the end - the coffee and panini at Waitrose helped considerably -

Anya - what an intrepid adventurer you have been in your time - cycling, running - what else do we not know about you ..

Now there's a thought - we could share an 'interesting fact' about ourselves each week - I might not be partaking in this for very long

Hope health and spirits have improved in your household Maggie - clearly you will need a small to ward off any bugs and to help stay strong - sending get well wishes to all yours xx

I'm still here as well, but put to shame by all your activities and achievements. Have been rather down since Christmas, hopefully the new 'normal' of this week will get me out of it!

No chance of my moving and not telling you lot, haven't heard much at all about my sale, although the purchase seems to be ticking along at a fair pace - not much point if the sale falls through though!

Was doing OK with the dry January but had a blip yesterday as throat was so rough, but am back on board. No chance with the steps though...not until we get a bit of dry weather. Fed up of having to kick my back door closed as it's swollen with all the wet. Only the second time that's happened in the 20 years I've been in this house!

Good luck everyone, hope we all achieve our aims this year

So I take it your trousers didn't arrive today Anya ...?

I cycled C2C in 2003 - dipped wheels in sea at Whitehaven then 3-4 days later in sea off Sunderland.

Didn't see any bears. Happily.

Hi everyone! Yes, still here and also on gp duty today, with DGS2. DS and gang have moved back in with us now, so we planned to bring DGS1 over with us for a play date. Sadly, this is a house of sickness today, with DD2 confined to bed with some sort of nasty virus, so DH and I came over without him (surgical masks at the ready and exclusion zone in place so we don't take any lurgies back with us )

We're hoping to get out and about a bit today, after my less than impressive 1000 steps yesterday (rain stopped play and we have no spare floor space for the stepper at the moment - I always have a good excuse, don't I?).

Well done on your lovely sparkling healthy tipples and your steely New Year's resolve! I am virtuously glugging water (but along with the , not instead of) and shutting down my internet access at 9pm. And having watched A Walk in the Woods the other day, I was inspired to talk a lot about us maybe tackling the Coast to Coast walk this Summer and enthusiastically looked it up (before 9pm). 190 miles!! Bill Bryson may well have tramped nearly 2000 on his Appalachian Trail, but I'm backtracking rapidly at the thought of more than 100.

Have a good day

Oh Anya - I do hope your trousers arrive soon - I can't wait to see the

It sounds like your gp duties are back with a vengeance - no peace for the wicked is there ...
I am on dm duty tomorrow and then school duties return - although not seriously until February when dd returns to work after an extended period of sick leave

I think the lurgy is on it's way out properly now - although left with a hacking cough which keeps me awake at night and means I can listen to the annoying dulcet tones of dh snoring breathing heavily...

Hi JG - I know it's an hour later but I'm here at last. Your Shloër cocktail sounds delightful my poison substitute of choice is diet ginger beer and diet tonic water topped with a slice of lemon. Yum yum.

Another one here who barely managed 2000 steps mainly because it was too cold and wet and grey and miserable to go far........BUT in the same spirit that made The Empire Great, I have been online and ordered a pair of waterproof walking trousers and so now I'm all set to go whatever the weather. Of course, the day they arrive the sun will come out, the temperatures soar and the littke birds will start mating singing

Well done with the black bags; it is very liberating, very cleansing, very feng shui-ish. I have the opposite problem at the moment - nothing left to dump but looking on the bright side no clutter at all

GS1 & 3 staying over as it's an INSET day tomorrow and GD 1 & 2 will arrive in time for breakfast. Happy Days!

Good news is that 2 dry days under my belt and ditto low carb and managed to give away the remaining ham joint to DSiL for his sandwiches tomorrow.

Hope Maggie & Ana & Roses & Ann60 are still around and all is well and it was nice of Galen to pop over and try to raise the tone of the thread.

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE ...?

I'm just enduring enjoying my shloer with sparkling water - mmmmm.... it's ...ermmm... lovely ...

Not many steps again today but a lot of black bags to go - clothes bank, charity shop, dump, local library - I do love a good de-clutter - a great way to start a new year ....

Hope all is well with this gang xxx

Galen I think it ought to read 'Les canards sont protégés' as you'd have to plurify both canard and protégé in written French, but it's been a long time so perhaps others can verify that, or not as the case may be.

The Avon was indeed overflowing its banks as you can see from this photo - those two wooden benches are normally on the river bank and the actual river is behind them.

Managed to say off the hard stuff and kept strictly to my low carb diet and have now clocked up over 9000 today.

Well done in anticipation JG as I can't imagine you dropping by the wayside at this early stage..

Day 2 done. How is it going with you Anya...? Well done on the steps today, I would be feeling smug better if I had clocked up that many - I just about managed 5,000

I think the January lot have got the hang of it now as well

Hope all is well with you roses and Maggie ....

Night night

And is walking along a swollen Avon a dry occupation?

I pray that thou didst not use the ducks and drakes as money to play with?

Remember on the river Trieux a notice saying "Les canard sont protégé "

Think that was the correct French , it was 20 years ago!

Forsooth sadly I did not, unless thou countest ducks and drakes as exciting?

They didst however seem to be happy ducks and drakes as they were all a-courting

And did thou see any exciting sights along the river, mayhap?

Just noticed the Shakespearean slip (walking unto town) which in fact became reality as we walked into Stratford along the banks of a very swollen River Avon from a park about 3/4 mile outside.

Feeling smug better for that as I've now clocked up a respectable 8888 steps so far. Only drizzling here.

Agree Anya Midsomer Murders is a sort of tv Valium!
I have thrown out all the choc boxes ( empty) and the Baileys is gone too, so a diet is in order, and as maggie says, more water intake needed.but more walking and excercise needed too, if ever the rain stops.
Ana hope the house sale gets moving ( pun!) soon for you.

Opps Maggie crossed posts. Re the TV and nodding off I aways used to do that during Midsummer Murders so never did find out 'who dun it' - it does mean I can watch the repeats though.

Enjoy the family tomorrow and don't worry about the emoticons we can just sniff the scene for vicarious pleasures. Good luck with the water and no internet after 9 - that must be hard.

Off now to push my step count up by a walk unto town (only managed 373 yesterday - the shame!)!

Hi Roses how kind of you to have DGS1 to sleep over on NYE. It's hard work at the best of times but I know that despite him being 'difficult to manage' you love him being with you and vice versa. Sounds like you more than coped and I'm sure his parents appreciated it

Yes, JG I've run for shelter too. What part of 'support' don't some people understand? A 'juice box' is simply a brand of Bluetooth speaker. I love music so if I'm moving around from room to room looking for things I put down and can't find while cleaning and dusting it means I can simply take it and my music with me I has no wire and fits into the palm of my hand. Often phones or iPads or whatever you store your music on, don't have great speakers so by streaming it to a wireless speaker you can blast the neighbours out get more oomph!

So no alcohol and no junk food! We can do this mate just keep,a visual image of our new trim profiles, bright eyes and bushy tails

See you on the other side of today

Judging by her post I'm guessing Maggie is still partying, or is it a 'fast' day perhaps? I tried the 2:5 but then it became the 1:6 and finally the 0:7 ...not for me, not enough will power. Respect to anyone who can stick with it.

Don't move house Ana without letting us know - we'd miss you from this thread.

Good morning, Dryathloners! It sounds as if you've all had a cracking start to the New Year, and my respect goes to those of you determined to do month 1 without the demon drink I will now endeavour to stop using that emoticon for the foreseeable future as it looks a bit gleeful....

Oh dear, I need to get back into a routine - I'm so lax without one! I was, undeservedly, hangover free yesterday, but spent much of it on the sofa, reading, browsing t'interweb, watching the box, phoning my sister for a marathon catch up. I did pop out for some fresh air mid afternoon, but just 3000 steps worth. Then I nodded on and off through Sherlock - it was a mad plot to start with, but even more surreal when you keep missing chunks

The family are not coming now till tomorrow, so I can doss around take things steady today as well. We thought maybe Star Wars and a curry in town, if I can get my act together.

The drink some more water resolution is going well - as it should, seeing as it's only day 2 I wanted to check something online after 9 last night and it was so frustrating having to wait till this morning, which shows how dependent I am on my screens. The curfew will do me good (says she through gritted teeth).

Have a good day, gang!

Happy New Year all.
Had DGS1 staying over last night, finally read him to sleep about 11 pm
We slept until eight this morning, and only woke briefly for fireworks going off everywhere at midnight. He is very difficult to manage ( not his fault) and uncooperative, but loves being here.Had a crazy two hours with him this morning, but then he settled and did a bit of drawing and craftwork, which calmed him down. Family here for lunch, just did easy things, and then we had peace and quiet from 4 pm onwards ( nodded off.)We usually go to friends or host something on New Years Eve but neither of us felt like it this year.Mr Roses is already sending off for holiday brochures ( he likes going away more than I do.)I would like it better if we had a valet, a sort of Jeeves
Who knew exactly what to pack, and made a good job of it.