I'm also proud that...

...I've managed to resist the urge to snack all morning.  That's been worse than being caffeine-free for a week, but I've managed it and don't usually snack after I've had my lunch so I think this morning has been pretty successful for me and I'm proud of myself.  I just hope that I don't seriously over-do the snacking as a reward tomorrow lol

I've officially gone...

...for a week without caffeine (technically 8 days 'cos I didn't have any caffeine last Sunday, so my last taste of caffeine was last Saturday morning) and this week has been a struggle, not because of the lack of caffeine, but because I've had an exhausting couple of weeks and the caffeine would have given me a boost to get through each day while still being able to function.

How am I feeling?

Exhausted.  I've got no energy and I could easily sleep right now, but I'm also proud of myself for getting through this week/8 days without even the merest hint of caffeine.  I've had a bad couple of weeks and my body has been struggling throughout, but I know now that I can get through bad times without the (almost) daily hit of (medically approved, watered down) caffeine, so that's a relief.

How will I cope when I have my first hit of caffeine?

I really don't know.  I haven't missed the taste, so I reckon I'll still be mainly caffeine-free and only have it when I need to wake up after a bad night or exhausting previous day or whatever, instead of having it every day just because it's been medically approved for me.  I'm just going to take the re-introduction very slowly and carefully.  I'll have a mug tomorrow morning to wake me up and then listen to my body after that and try and only have caffeine when I really need it rather than out of habit.

I'm relieved and proud that I've got through this week, but I'm thinking that maybe I should have delayed it until I'd properly recovered from the last two weeks lol

So far so good with...

...my new posture corrector that was delivered yesterday!

I've got it on now and while it's not great at correcting my shoulders or neck, that's because I'm a short arse with smaller than average back size, so won't be marking it down for that.

I've also got my neck warmer/massager thing charging up, so I'll see how long that takes then try using that too.

The third thing in yesterday's delivery was 3 new fabric laundry baskets, but I need to be steadier on my feet before I risk tackling them.  I might also wait until I've got more laundry to go into them too, just to see if they can cope with an entire wardrobe of clothes lol

So far so good though, and I'm glad that I bought them so far.

Mornin' all

Aaaaand... relax.

I've just had my weekly bath and this week it was so gorgeous that I didn't want to get out lol  I was in there for about 50 minutes this week and I feel a lot more human now.  I obviously didn't fall asleep while I was in there, but I feel at least semi-human now.  I'm still knackered and in a lot of pain and really weak and wobbly, but I'm ready to face the day now, instead of feeling like I'm walking through treacle constantly.

Before I got into the bath, I pulled the water heating switch on then took my blood pressure (105 this morning), popped my 11 morning pills with my breakfast and then ran the daily virus scan, which was reassuringly still clear.  I'm charging up my Visible atm so time to get my breakfast photo up, then today's to-do list together after I've brushed my teeth methinks.

BBS

Nite nite orl

I don't care how risky it is tomorrow, I've been pushing myself too hard, too fast and too often for the last couple of weeks and I'm gonna sink into a hot, deep, lavendar-scented bubble bath tomorrow (as opposed to the shallow, warm, plain water of last week) and I'm gonna be treating myself especially gently.  I've still got a busy few days at the start of next week (big Freegle collection on Monday, groceries on Tuesday and weekly virus scan and backups on Wednesday) but nowhere near as bad as the last couple of weeks, thankfully.

I'm gonna look after myself soooooo gently for as long as it takes me to recover now.

I've popped my last two pills and I'm gonna head on up to beddy-byes in the hope that I'll fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow tonight.

I'll see you all briefly in the morning.

Nite nite orl

Today (4th September 2026) I'm grateful for...

...my unwanted food being picked up three times today (two Olio-er's and a Freegler), the Freegle stuff going, the middle cupboard finally being emptied, washing the mugs up and putting them onto Freegle.  I'm also grateful that I'll be getting rid of everything except the mugs on Monday.

I'm grateful that my diet is still improving and that my body is coping so well with having to rapidly re-learn how to process solids.

I'm grateful that I found OddBox and that it's opened up a whole new healthy world of variety to me.  I've been able to discover new-to-me fruits and veg that there is no way I would have done otherwise.

I'm grateful that Morrisons have officially started stocking mince pies so that I can snack on a box of those every day to keep my calorie count up.

I'm grateful that I've been able to have protein today and that I had a solid breakfast this morning.

I'm grateful that I'm still able to move today and that I can hopefully have a long soak in a hot bubble bath tomorrow morning... I think I deserve it.

Tomorrow (Saturday) I'm hoping...

...to have a very early bath in preparation for Evri to hopefully deliver between 8am and 8pm.  

If Evri deliver early enough then I wanna try taking my passport photo again and maybe even going for a slow, cautious, walk around my back yard.  I won't be lapping or exercising at the weekend 'cos I've pushed myself too hard, too fast and too often for the last couple of weeks.

The weekend and all of next week are gonna be recovery days so that I don't end up bedbound again, which I'm already on the verge of.

I've hopefully got kiwiberries coming in my OddBox on Sunday and lots of mince pies and a tub of chocolates coming with my groceries on Tuesday, to ring in the festive season and hopefully reach my minimum basket total easier between now and January.

I'm gonna aim to treat myself sooo gently all weekend and hopefully next week too... I need to recover instead of keep pushing myself before I screw myself up too badly.

Aaaaaaand... relax

That's both things been picked up, got one more to go during office hours on Monday and a delivery due between 5.30pm and 8.30pm today, so it could potentially be a late night tonight, but I think I've earnt a drinking choccie now!

Today (3rd September 2026) I'm grateful for...

...my best friend coming over to see me for a few hours - thank you C!

I'm also grateful that the things were rejected by Anglo on Monday 'cos someone else is interested in them instead, along with the hallway rug and seat cushion and they are very close to me and can only come during the workday which is ideal!

I'm grateful that I'm able to get rid of the ice poles at 8am tomorrow and the rest of the plates at about 4pm.

I'm grateful that I've put in the order for things that'll hopefully help my posture and ease my neck pain which are also due tomorrow too.

I'm grateful that I've been able to put together next week's menu and I'm hoping that my stomach will cope with an extra food item on the plate the week after... it's been slow going getting my stomach used to solids again, but I'm hoping that I'm almost there now.

I'm also grateful that I've finally found the potential solution to my passport photo rejections and I just need to keep trying to take the photo without my band in my hair or my glasses on, when it's lighter outside.

I've had a very busy couple of weeks, but I'm hoping tomorrow will be the last of the bedlum lol

Just got...

...the window for tomorrow's collection and it's between 11am and 1.30pm so I'll be able to have my breakfast and virus scan and hopefully backups in time and I'm gonna move the box into the hall as soon as I've finished my exercises (assuming I have a high enough 'Morning Stability' score of course) then relax.  It'll potentially be a late lunch, but that's OK.

It'll be good to finally get rid of it all as it wasn't wanted by anyone on Freegle and I'll be able to sort out the mugs and last cupboard when the box has been picked up too.

I bet they will come to the door when I'm in the bathroom if Loki is feeling particularly chaotic tomorrow! lol

Goooood mornin' all!

I've woken up in a pretty decent mood, my 'Morning Stability' score was a huge 4 out of 5 (so I can do both sets of laps and exercises today), my blood pressure was 125, so right in the middle of the medical range, then I weighed myself and I've put on 1.3kg in the last 7 days, so that's a positive too.  All of my 10 morning pills went down reasonably easily, my OddBox has been brought in and put away, so now that I know what I've got to work with, I can put up this week's official menu.  I've also had a proper breakfast, so hopefully I won't be snacking this morning.  I've put everything into my NutraCheck app, so everything is sorted, admin-wise, until lunchtime now.

The virus scan was reassuringly clear, so I can get my two breakfast photos resized and put up in plenty of time while I wait for the recycling to be picked up and me doing my first set of exercises today.

BBS

Aaaaaand... relax!

I'm now £280 lighter but I've got a clear, safe, tree-free back yard that's completely free of the Norway Maple, the Budleija bush and all the other weeds that were growing in it.  I've got the card for the company and he's offered to sort the concrete out for me so that all the gaps and holes are filled in to hopefully stop it from happening again.

Apparently there were two Norway Maples growing and I didn't have the first foggiest clue about the second one, but it's all gone now so I can start from scratch again whenever I want to.  I'm thinking I'll get a bird bath or bird table or something like that, but no more plants.

I've gotta stay out of my back yard "until tomorrow" which is no problem at all, but it's one less thing for me to worry about now and I can finally breathe.

Thank you Gaia, thank you Green Man and thank you Loki!

Mornin' all

I started the day with a rapid dash to the bathroom and only just made it in time, but my 'Morning Stability' reading was, thankfully, back up to 3.  I've taken my blood pressure which was back down to 120 again, popped my 10 morning pills, had a long soak (43 minutes this week as opposed to my recent times of less than half an hour) in a gorgeously hot bath (I decided against the bubbles this week so that I didn't fall asleep) and I've just brushed my teeth too.

I've unofficially weighed myself and I'm only 150g into where the nurse wants me to be, so I won't be exercising today, even though my Visible says that I can.

The daily virus scan was reassuringly clear again, so time to get today's breakfast photo up, then today's to-do list.  When it's naturally light outside, I'll try and remember to take my passport photo too then apply and pay for it, while keeping my fingers crossed that it's approved and I've got my photo ID in the pipeline.

BBIAB

Mornin' all

I've woken up feeling like I haven't slept for a week, taken my Visible reading (3 again), taken my blood pressure (117), popped my 12 morning pills and had my liquid breakfast.

Got a delivery due between 7am and 1pm and a second one that could turn up at any time, so I'll do my laps and exercises when the timed delivery has arrived and potentially have a late lunch, if any at all.

The virus scan was all clear, so that's a reassuring relief and means that it's time to get my breakfast photo and to-do list together now.

BBS

Today (25th August 2026) I'm grateful for...

...everything going well at the medical appointment this afternoon.

I'm also grateful that the nurse told me about applying for a passport and remembering to look into it when I got home.  I've gotta take a photo of me with my upper body in it and I can wear my glasses with the passport application, as long as the glasses aren't covering my eyes and there's no reflection.  I did a rough experiment and I think I've got it spot on as long as I get changed into a lighter coloured top.

I'm grateful that chicory is available in my next OddBox as it's another vegetable that I've never had before.

I'm grateful that I've been able to make a start on putting together next week's menu as well as having my first two pickled eggs for a while to stop my belly from rumbling.

Overall, a good day today.

Goooooood mornin' all!

I've woken up in a fairly decent mood today, my 'Morning Stability' score was another 3, my blood pressure was 105, I've swallowed my 14 morning pills, had my breakfast and made myself my last caffeinated drink of the week.

Gotta remember to have a proper lunch today with the last of the broccoli, refill my dosette box after lunch (I've only missed one pill this week, so that's another positive) and I've gotta do hopefully the last edit of my memoir and have my reward of a J2O.  I've also gotta box up and take out the recycling and put my OddBox container out too... lots to remember to do today!

The virus scan was reassuringly clear again, so I'm gonna get today's two breakfast photos up, then my day's to-do list, then make a start on the editing, while I charge up my Visible methinks.

BBS

I've got...

...yesterday's Freegler coming for most of the plates and bowls after work either today or tomorrow, so I'll be able to offer the rest of it on Freegle after she's taken what she wants and be able to sort out the middle and left cupboard, then that's it as far as I can reach!

Nite nite orl

I'm soooo hungry after only being able to have my breakfast and I've got an Olio-er coming for the Freeze Pops and sweetcorn at 8am tomorrow, so may not be able to have breakfast then and another Freegler is coming at about 4.30pm too, so my only meal tomorrow could potentially just be lunch and the rest of the day with just drinks again, which is frustrating.

I've got a rough quote for the garden things now though, so that's cool and groovy.

I've taken my pills and I'm heading to bed now.

I'll see you all in the morning.

Nite nite orl

Thank you Green Man, thank you Gaia!

I've just had a quote for the Norway Maple and Budlieja removal - £150 + VAT so I'm assuming it'll be around £200 all in but the tree surgeon didn't seem too worried about it because it's still young, but understood my desire not to have it affecting the house.  He's taken a photo and his business partner will email me the quote along with all of their insurance details for me to pop across to my home insurers and he'll let me know the date and payment details as soon as he can.  I'm impressed with how friendly and supportive and understanding he was though, so as far as I'm concerned, he's got the job!

Mornin' all

I had a very late night last night because of my delivery and a very late start to my day this morning, so I'm currently about an hour behind schedule for everything.

I've taken my 'Morning Stability' score which was another 4 this morning so I can do two sets of laps and exercises again today, my blood pressure was in what I'm assuming is my new range of 110-120, I've popped all 12 pills with my first breakfast, then brushed my teeth and had my solid breakfast then booted up my laptop and here I am.  The virus scan was reassuringly clear, so that's a positive and I can get today's breakfast photo's up and my to-do list together now.

BBS