Well, we have just returned from a family break in Wales. It was great to spend some time with the children and I think even the teenagers enjoyed themselves! This was very much the theme tune for the week with everyone in the fun bus dancing away to it on the many hours...
I have been quiet about the diet situation of late, for no other reason than it has been up and down... I had a 10 day period a little while back when the family had a lot of functions and the diet went out of the window. In that period I put on 8 lbs! The last few weeks have been better, we have still had a few functions to attend BBQ's parties etc, but I have been more careful with what I have been eating and drinking. Over the last 3 weeks the 8lbs have come back off and I am now back to where I was. I weighed in this morning at 377lbs, the lightest I have been this year. I still have a long way to go as I am looking to lose another 120lbs, but I am back on track.
Knowing that I am at the lightest I have been for a while has put a smile on my face and a bounce in my step... I am not sure how the rest of the fantastic 4 are doing and I think we need to have a proper catch up soon. I know Kerry is doing well and is still steadily losing weight. I am so proud of her, and I feel a little guilty. The weight falls of me when I work at it, but Kerry finds it such a struggle. Every 1/2lb for her is a war, but she is still doing it!!
I have come up with the crazy notion of fighting again (it never really went away) and I know I have a long hard road ahead of me, but I would really like to get back to it. As such I am hoping to try out a new club next week and start building my training up... Watch this space.
Stay safe one and all...
I know I posted this one a little time ago, but it is one of my favourite songs, and is especially for the lady I love.
Kerry I love you so much.
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Let me start this post by saying my friends, family and I had a wonderful time. This was the best family day out we have had in a long time, and it was on our doorstep! The day was long but we had prepared, the kids loved every moment of it, from the live music, to the wall of death show, to paint balling even to the bouncy area and fairground rides.
It was however, amazingly expensive, not the entrance fee, although advertised at £10, there was an additional £1 and some pence added to each ticket price if you purchased on line. Which to be fair for the set up and bands was quite acceptable, but everything else once you got inside was horrendously expensive!
The fairground rides were between £2.50 and £4 a go, which is expensive for rides, especially with 6 children with us for the day. The food was astronomical! £2.50 for a portion of chips, £1 for a fruit shoot drink £5 for a burger... It just went on and on. Where ever you turned there was more expense.
Now, don't get me wrong I am not complaining, we are quite lucky in the fact that both of us work and we could afford a day out like this once in a while. But between the group of us 6 adults and 6 children it is no exaggeration to say we spent over £700 in the grounds.
This is especially galling when you read the FAQ page of www.thebigbbq.co.uk section 4 which reads:
4. How much is it?
The Big BBQ costs £10 in advance (£15 on the door) for adults and free for under 10's.
Food, drink and some entertainment inside will have small costs, but this is a family event and we will make sure all prices are kept fair.
Now I don't know in which world these traders lived or how they paid for there spots, but the prices certainly were not fair, in fact I have been to full on festivals (Reading, Glastonbury etc) where the food is a lot cheaper!
The entertainment was good, but again a little disappointing, not only the price, having paid to get in but also the lack of it. I expected a lot bigger rides and more of them. The field appeared almost baron on first inspection. I know the organiser Nick Hart personally and went and found him to ask about it. A lot of the rides that were supposed to be there had not managed the journey down to us due to bad weather. A lot were stuck in floods and mud 'up North' and this had left a big hole in the amusements and rides.
The 3 beer tents, were actually 2 beer tents and they ran out of champagne by the evening, which was a little disappointing as it seemed the best priced drink available, £25 a bottle as opposed to £5.25 we were getting charged for shorts and mixers.
Another disappointment was the lack of BBQ competition, now don't get me wrong those that were there were amazing! The food was glorious, yet there was only a dozen teams cooking, and I had been expecting more, again, Nick was informed 30-40 teams would be competing, and this was down on expectations.
The music acts were good, well most of them, some were distinctly average, but the overall show of the stages and lights was good. The sound system was not too bad, although quality seemed to be exchanged for noise levels, which when you consider it was equipped for 20,000 bodies to be stood in front of it was probably why, the 400 that actually turned up were slightly deafened, and to be fair 3 days later my ears are still ringing.
The last thing I was disappointed in was the 'huge' firework display, there was indeed fireworks, there timing was superb with the music of Bon Giovi, the display itself was also pretty good. But unfortunately, again it seemed a little lack lustre, maybe it was tiredness after being drinking and stood in a field for 12 hours, maybe it was the expectations of a 'huge' firework display as advertised, but it really did only last about 3 minutes at the most.
There seems to be a lot of negative points here, and that is not what I took away from the day, as previously stated overall I had a great day. I got to listen to some good music, spend some time with close friends and family and see the kids really enjoy themselves. As a family day out it was brilliant and the people of Castle Point (especially Canvey) should feel slightly gutted that they did not turn out in greater numbers as they missed a good day, to be fair, they should feel slightly embarrassed as well. Seeing all the negative reactions people have had, the day took a lot of organising, a lot of hard work to put on and cost a lot of money, thanks in no small part to Nick himself. People are all so quick to put things down without looking deeper into what has actually happened. They are also so quick to say there is nothing to do, no one ever does anything, but then, why would they? A years worth of planning went into putting on an amazing day. Yet only 400 or so people came and took part.
How many other days out can you go to with a 12 month old baby, and children ranging from 3 to 14, plus adults of 2 generations and everyone have a truly great time? I can tell you from experience, none. There is always someone or something that causes a day out to be tolerable rather than enjoyable. This was a first for our family.
I personally would like to thank Nick Hart and his team and look forward to next years event (if there is one, and I truly hope there is). I know it was not perfect and there is lots of lessons to be learnt from this event, but somehow I get the feeling the points will be taken on board and with Nicks drive and tenacity, I am sure he will find a way of fixing all the problems and host more Big BBQ events. I know my family and I will be there to support it if he does.
Thank you Nick, don't listen to all the people willing to put your efforts down, I can speak for 20 or so people that you made smile on the day.
Ok, a music monday with a bit of a difference, if I have got this right, the track that should play is a 40 part motet - Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis, then go on to play the whole of the 50 shades of Grey soundtrack.
Yes I too have become addicted to the 50 shades trilogy!
Any how, I hope you enjoy this beautiful piece of music.
Although I have blogged quite regularly the last few weeks has seen a slow down in my posting, life has been hurtling around my family and me at 1000mph and I just have not had the time to sit down and post...
Firstly, an update on Grandad, he is OK, still very shaky on his feet, still in pain with his back and finding it hard to get comfortable. He has to go back to the Dr's and see what they can do to help. He has lost a lot of weight in the past year and his appetite has dwindled. His memory is not what it used to be either. All in all, not his best year, however, he is still an awesome man and I love him fiercely. I am still afraid of what will (and to be honest, to all of us) happen and enjoy as much time as I can with him at the moment.
Mum, is not well either, she has recently been diagnosed with ME and has been medically retired from work. She is also in a lot of pain (when mum says a lot, she means a lot!), the strange thing is, its the leg she should have no feeling in, so either the nerve damage is recovering (some 20 years down the line) or it is phantom pain. Either way she is back on crutches and trying to look after Grandad.
Kerry is as usual, my rock. Don't get me wrong, she moans at me a lot, normally for things I should have done, could have done, would have done, She gets stressed out very easily and I don't understand that, of course I get into bad moods from time to time and snap back, but all in all she is still my rock and I give her as much of a hard time as she gives me. I love her so much and I think she is the most amazing person in the world. She balances work, home life and the children in a way that leaves me stunned as when I try and help or do it, it always goes wrong.
Callum, what can I say about Callum? Well he is a polite and articulate young 14 year old, at least that's what we get told. We get the usual grunts and moans and give get me buy me I wants as all parents do. I have a couple of surprises up my sleeve for Callum over the next few months and I really hope he enjoys them and rises to the challenge... watch this space!
Kathleen.... Has just turned 11, we went out and had a meal together with some of her friends. Apparently parties are so childish... I am constantly floored by Kathleen, I am trying so hard to let her go and make her own way and accept what it is she wants, (especially clothes) however, she is 11 and my little girl and I know better than most what boys can be like. Its scary, I think I will end up in prison over this one!
Brandon, the little whirlwind that he is. Brandon makes me smile and laugh nearly every day. Never likes doing what he is told, always argues back and throws a tantrum like you wouldn't believe! All that being said, he is loving and kind and has a big heart. He has a quick brain and is quite intelligent, he will break some hearts and his quick brain gives me some headaches, even if he does only hear what he wants to.
Albert is a year old next week, I don't know where the time has gone. He has developed his own personality which seems a mix of all the children's but has a lot of Kerry and I's traits. He appears to have my temper and Kerry's patience (not a good mix!) and likes to get his own way. He seems quite bright and is into everything although lazy and wont walk, although I am sure he can. I would not mind betting he is dancing and moon walking across the lounge when no one is watching!
Diet, well, the last 2 weeks have been hard on Kerry and I. It is party season within our families and we have strayed from the path. That being said we both managed a loss last week and we have a weigh in tonight. I am fairly sure we will not have lost anything this week, but who knows? Kerry is looking great and everyone has noticed her figure changing (except Kerry of course).
So that's the brief update in a nutshell.... I will try and post more and a little more frequently... Really enjoying life at the moment, even if that does seem to include a crap load of DIY (which I hate) but with the help and guidance of the Father-In-Law I am sure we will get there.
Stay safe....
I have to admit that I have been wanting to blog all day, to unburden myself of this weight that I have been playing over and over in my mind, and yes to admitting to being scared and afraid.
You see, as many of you who read this will know I am rather fond, if not totally in awe of my Grandfather (see Here is to the Grandads) and yes he is older now than he was and yes he is doing remarkably well. Recently has not been his best health time and nor do I expect it to, but late last night I got a phone call, just before midnight. You know you can hear the phone ringing, you know it is late, you know the voice on the other end is your mums, and you register the sentence, "it's Grandad, he has had a fall, but he is OK, I'm just letting you know" and you know the feeling as the icy fingers encircle your heart and squeeze.
The upshot of the conversation was mum saying thee was no need to go round and nothing I could do, (the neighbour is a nurse and has patched him up) and it was just to let me know that she would not be round today. Sleep returned un-easily and was disturbed most of the night.
Today I went to work and mum kept updating me on Grandad, he is OK, in a lot of pain with his back, cant move very well isn't mobile etc. Dr has been out and given him pain killers, bed rest for a couple of days etc... unless he keeps falling over in which case a trip to hospital and some scans. All very run of the mill stuff. I am close to my grandad so pop in on my way home from work. He is asleep ad I sit looking at I'm for a few minutes before going to talk to mum. Some thing is obviously wrong, firstly he is asleep on his side and my Grandad never sleeps on his side, secondly his breathing is shallow and seems a long time between breaths and thirdly he looks small and old.
I go and see mum and we have a coffee, when I check back grandad is awake, although a little disorientated and in a lot of pain, we talk about the fall, he does not remember much of it and admits to losing his balance and being unconscious (Grandad never admits to anything, especially when health is at hand, even when he had several cases of skin cancer throughout his life it was just a little thing and a bit of a nuisance) and he isn't really with it. I spend 30 minutes or so chatting to him and make my way home.
I have to admit to being worried, I know he is getting older and I know he is beginning to slow down (although the Grand kids keep him young) I have this nagging feeling way down deep that I keep pushing away that this may be the start of the end, but I refuse to let it surface much. I keep telling my self I am over reacting, but the feeling is still there. I know death is nothing to be afraid of, I know it is just a change, "Death is just a transformation, It’s a little bit more radical than puberty but nothing to get particularly upset about. Death isn’t sad. The sad thing is most people don’t live at all" (to quote one of my favourite books) and he has certainly lived! But to be honest, on a purely selfish note, I will miss him and his guidance. I know it is me overreacting, but I cant shake the feeling. I am going to see him again tomorrow and hopefully he will be a lot better.
Just a post to share some emotions....
Well, no apologies for this tune... still in my opinion one of the best dance/trance tunes around... it certainly was refreshing when it was released and turned me onto more trance type tracks...
In fact, this monday have a second one for free, one of the most sensual pieces of classical music I have ever heard arranged very well by William Orbit and made famous by that film.... lol
ENJOY!!
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