My Life's Ingredients

Well.. new to me that is! :) Got up early this morning after a fitful sleep and got to ERI in time for t he appointment. Went to the wrong place first (why do they have Day Surgery/Day Patients in a different section of the hospital than the OP - Out patients???) but still managed to find the place ok. ;) Heather - reason for the sleep clinic is that DH is worried as I seem to stop breathing from time to time, and as my dad has sleep apnea and I hardly ever have a restful sleep my GP thought it couldn't harm. Assessment showed that I am not a typical sleep apnea patient, so I am going to get a machine at some point in the next 4 weeks or so to take home and monitor my sleep for one night. And then we will see what the result is and take it from there. After the appointment I went to Lisa to drop off the crop prizes/tea & coffee stuff/kitty and had a wee natter. Was quite funny, specially as Archie is really a handful now! ;) As it was still early when I left I decided t...

... was mostly slumping today, catching up with e-mails and manage paperwork for Wolves and the Edinburgh Crop. :o Tomorrow I'll be off to the Sleep Clinic at ERI in the morning, drop hopefully Crop off at Lisa's and then go home ... in the evening we'll have a meet up from the EFREC girls ... I think. :)

Huh... thought I posted those vids before ... at least the first one ... weird!! Anyway, the new introduction for the 2009 season is WOLVES TV - recorded & edited etc. by our own Ahmed. :) ... and it's getting better and better!! :) Wolves TV Episode 3 should be out soon!

Not sure why ... didn't have really lie ins this weekend after long days, so maybe it's that. Or maybe I am just at the point of the year (as it seems every year) to get fed up with football stuff ... Also have a runny nose and the house is darn cold. Planning on doing some scrapping later, and also do some house work. So hopefully I can show you a new layout later. ;)

Earth Hour Logo Originally uploaded by Earth Hour Global Only 1hr 10 mins to go - SWITCH OFF AT 8:30pm UK!!! Candles at the ready! ;)

Here they are... first of all, a birthday card for my BIL: Supplies: Diecut & emboss "Football & Tee" Cuttlebug, PP (unknown) with black ink distressed, card (Woodware?), "Happy Birthday" stamp (producer unknown) Another Birthday card, this time for Anja from the CJ group - belated birthday. Supplies: card (Woodware?) ,"Partygirlabella" (Stampingbella), Cuttlebug Border "Just my type", Promarkers, Stamp from Autumn Leaves And last but not least my MIL's Mother's Day Card - the fact that the Brits celebrate this day in March has caused some confusion and early/late cards being issued to MIL, my mom and my stepmom respectively in the beginning of my relationship with DH. ;) Supplies: Card (Woodware?, PP (unknown), Cuttlebug "Love Language", CS Bazzill Got the Cuttlebug "Love Language" a week ago and I just LOVE it!! :) It's great.. the little heart embossing folder and the diecuts. GREAT! Shame I cannot post...

Here's what I've done the last week ... 1 CJ entry plus 3 cards. Currently trying to get my head around the Chinese Whisper (sorry, ladies - I WILL have it ready and e-mailed to Pauline this evening!!) and wouldn't be allowed to post it here anyway. :o The theme for the CJ is "The most important people in my life" and there they are ... there are lots more important people in my life, but I had to pick some who are more important than others ... so sorry to all the others. :o I've also changed my Playlist to the right to stop playing automatically ... there were some people who've discussed that in forums and I had to take into account people who can read my blog at work (you lucky so and so's!! ;) ). And in the past it has annoyed me a little when I had other music running on the PC and then the playlist on my blog kicked in ... so just press "play" if you want to listen. :)

I planned to go down to Doncaster with DH tomorrow for the BAFL (British American Football League) AGM. Really was looking forward to it, as it meant I would be able to see my friends from Britbowl again. However, last Sunday after training the rubber "grommets" holding the exhaust on our car up have dissolved and we heard it scraping on the road from time to time. DH got new "grommets" and fixed them this week - I went to the garage today to make sure all is fixed ok and we're safe to drive down. They had the car up, the exhaust was fixed ok .. however, we've got another problem which needs new parts and it wouldn't be safe to drive long distances. So we're back to DH going down by train and me staying up here.... :( Have I ever told you I begin to HATE OUR CAR???? This year already we had the battery being flat (new one in now), the spring on one of the wheels needing replaced as it was broken (found out prior to MOT and fixed), the exhaust hanging...

View Larger Map LOVE IT!! :) And then in the stadium ... our pitch markings!!! :) Unfortunately you can't make out the "Wolves" in red on the home sideline (close to the stands) ... ah well, something to look into for this/next season. View Larger Map

Took me 2.5 hours (gosh, I am REALLY a slow scrapper!!) but it's done, in a box and ready to go to the mail tomorrow. Will post photos of the entry and the 3 cards I made at the crop - really should go to bed now. Tomorrow I'll do the slightly overdue Chinese Whisper #3 ... and then I have the next CJ from Germany waiting plus another Chinese Whisper. And I haven't even started on doing some more Wolves layouts... ooops! Night night!

I've got a new phone ... and unfortunately used it's options a bit already - which means I have to pay around £5.50 more when the March invoice arrives ... new contract only kicks in next month. :( Ah well... should think I should manage that. I've also moved my paperwork in a more stable box (was in a cardboard box from IKEA for the last 1/2 year and that was pushed and pulled so much that it fell apart ... really have to go through that box soon to file and shred ... have already put stuff in the recycling paper bag while I was moving it over). Did that because I was searching for the bank statements for the Junior team. :o Then I decided to go through my women's mags (I somehow have an urge to buy "Essentials" or/and (ooops!) "Prima" from time to time.... used to be fairly regular but have cut down a bit now) - have pulled out some recipes/sowing stuff/gardening stuff and have now handed the rest off to my GP and dentist. At that point I found o...

Wohooo, seems like spring is coming! :) We had nice weather for the last couple of days now, it's great! I have a lot to do today, partly Wolves stuff, partly crafty stuff ... but instead I've dealt with a wash, have been finally getting rid of the out of date stuff from the pantry (has been outside since early January to be emptied (jars, tins) so I can put them into our recycling bucket, but of course that was too subtle a hint for the male contingent of this household.... 8/ Will have to check online for some more seed potatoes ... anyone know where there are good priced Rooster Potatoes? DH and I just love them and if I can grow them in my barrel that would save some dosh. :) Well... off to hover the stairs now ... and then do some Wolves stuff... and then hopefully get some scrapping done!

Went to RIE in the morning to sign the usual paperworks for my hysteroscopy and to hopefully get a date for the OP itself. It didn't start well with the X48 having problems and us having to switch buses on the bridges ... and then I had to wait about 20 mins at RIE ... wonder why they don't just let you sign at the front desk??? Then I was herded to the gyno section (brilliant ... preggers women at any stage ... wahey!! >:( ) to wait for someone with the calendar for the OPs... fortunately I was sitting in the smaller waiting area where there was only the odd person completing a questionnaire, but still ... not the section someone who is going through infertility wants to be placed. ... and guess what ... I was waiting there for about an hour too!!! At last I was provided with a date and they will contact me with pre-op stuff etc (dont' know any time yet). Or is the 2 April the date for the pre-op stuff??? BETTER NOT!!! :( During the waiting time I called work to arrang...

After BIL's camera was giving up on me middle of February (zapping Batteries like there's no tomorrow!) I first decided to get my mobile contract changed to the LG Renoir (with a 8mp camera) but DH decided against it (it's his contract afterall... and I really don't NEED all the stuff the £25 would give me - only a GPS (for geocaching? Not sure if they work for that) and apart from that it would be £10 more than my current contract!! ). So when we got the offers flyer from Aldi for this week we found this... However, that is only coming out on Thursday ... and I just wanted a new small camera NOW!! (you know how that works!! ;) ) And then I found this: Available there and then! And while I am not the girly girl I quite liked the Butterfly. :) And it's probably the only "bling" DH is going to buy me. ;) It's really slimline, got "smile recognition" (i.e. it takes 3 photos as soon as it recognises a smile!) and it does focus on max 5 faces in...

... And I've got the T-shirt to prove it. ;) DH asked me some weeks back if I am available on the 14th March to go to Alien Wars . It was sold to me to a bit "jumpy" and "Aliens" ... not much more. It's an early birthday present for BIL. So stupid me said "Well, why not?". .... Then I decided to check online what it is all about ...THIS MORNING!! And I didn't like the description a little bit!! Told DH I might not come along, am concerned with the strobe lighting causing problems with my migraine (well, actually ... it's only UV lighting that's the problem) etc. And I admitted - I am blimming scared! ;) Got the usual "Ah, won't be that bad - and we have a tradition to bring someone new every time we go". Got to the "The Arches" in Glasgow (interesting building!) and I forced myself to do it ... heart in throat and all that before we even started!! And then we got into a group with 4 little girls and their mom!! ...

There you go, one CJ down, one more to go (and I was told the next one is on its way). Another German CJ, topic this time was "Selbstportrait" (Self-Portrait). Left hand side: Right hand side with my current favourite photo of me (thanks, Pauline!!!): The next one's called "The most important person in my life". I hope to get that done tomorrow or Sunday so I can send it to Anke on Monday.

Today I reached my first milestone at the Weight Watchers weigh in!! :) I lost a total of 10 lbs since I started (that's about 6 weeks ago I think)!!! And I lost 3 lbs this week (that means I got the stupid 2lbs down I gained last week, plus an extra pound!!). Soooo pround of myself. :) And I am only 4 lbs short of a stone!! Think WW works for me because I can enjoy chocolates/crisps as long as I build it into my daily points. Havent' been back to the gym yet, so wonder if I will gain muscle mass again... :o We'll see. Pulled a muscle in my shoulder this morning (still in pain really, but feeling better after a hot bath) so don't think I'll go to the gym tomorrow but am planning on going on Friday. Also will be doing some scrapping tomorrow. :) HAVE to get those CJs done ... I am already feeling really bad for having them for 3 months now! :o But ... life wasn't really the best in Q1 of 2009!! :( Oh ... bought a new travel book ... "Flight free Europe...

Sunny but cold. The perfect weather to take photos for the "Here" part of Shimelle's "Here, There and Everywhere" class. And what am I doing? Sitting at work, trudging away the hours... :( Bet ya, on Thursday/Friday the weather will be rain or snow again!! :( And to add to all that I am still crampy and totally shattered ... could fall asleep any minute. :o Ah well... need a lie in or something like that on Thursday. :) Currently searching for a new book to read - have asked DH to check his books (we bought quite a few together at Tesco before Christmas). Finished my last book yesterday night - "Sepulcre" by Kate Mosse - another GREAT read from her! This time I had even more problems to put the book down!! :) And I finished the other books I bought too... apart from the non-fiction ones. ;) Mmmh... tomorrow is WW weigh in ... after gaining 2 lbs last week I think I managed to get them down again, but am not 100% sure. Fingers crossed!! :)

Well... more or less... it's changing quite fast, so I assume we've got strong winds outside (it definitely was stormy yesterday, both my dwarf rhodies are fallen over - really consider taking them out of the pots and plant them into the ground. :( Currently taking a break from doing some housework ... done the washing up, put on/empty the dishwasher and currently got the 2nd Wolves wash going. Also have done some ironing. The weather is still too cold to hang the washing outside I think, but it's still nice to see the sun out. Went to training yesterday and had a weird day, weather-wise. We woke up to about 1 inch of snow on the car plus slush on the street, but sun was shining and everything was ok. On our way to JKC the sky got really grey and suddenly we were in a small blizzard!! Got to JKC and the sun was shining and hardly any snow on the ground. During Junior training we had our 2nd small blizzard ... and during adult training the 3rd. :o DH was really worried ho...

Earache still there, but have been up and about since 9am as our friend John has been fixing our car (he took it to the MOT last week and they suggested we do some fixing). Done the washing up, some ironing and have currently the 2nd wash on. So ... not too bad, considering I am not feeling 100%. Weather is a bit weird today as well ... was grey when I woke up, then around 11am it started to snow (was fairly cold too) and now we have sunshine, no snow and possibly still fairly cold. My earache is weird - it's not a constant pain, just very dull and suddenly a very sharp pain. :( Don't like that at all. If I am not going to get the CJs done today I'll do it tomorrow - don't have to keep anyone company then. :) Also, met up with Dawn for a cuppa yesterday after work and we had a good natter about treatments etc. We both getting to the point to look into other options, like other tests etc which EFREC cannot provide. Lots of things to read up and check. I've got 2 p...

Woke up this morning with earache and a scratchy throat. And *SURPRISE* managed to get an appointment with my GP practice this morning as well (usually I have to wait 2-3 days and by then the infect is either gone or really bad). Right ear is slightly inflamed around the eardrum, and the throat as well, but at least there are no white spots in the throat (phew!). Been told to take it easy and to take Paracetamol/Ibuprofen and also got prescription for a gargle solution, but the chemist close to the docs didn't have that stuff in, so will try the other one close to us either later today or tomorrow. If it's getting worse over the next couple of days (or stays the same) I'm to go back to the docs for antibiotics. :o If I am not feeling worse tomorrow I'll try to go to work (because of WW). I'm totally shattered - couldn't go back to sleep after 7am because of the pain so hopefully can take a nap later today. :o

Went to training for the first time after 3 weeks off ... quite funny. Doesn't help that I've got trouble again to remember the names of our rookies... :o Ah well... I'll hopefully get it right again in 2 weeks time. :) Feeling tired ... and as if a cold is coming along. :( Doesn't help that we suddenly had a downpour with hail. :o Frozen to the bone etc. Planning on going back to taking daily photos again - had some nice photos of clouds today, will post them on here tomorrow (am really shattered and want to sleep!). DH and I decided to have a nice chinese takeaway today ... AP went with the guys for dinner so didn't want to cook for the 2 of us. :) I had nice Chicken Wings with Peking sauce and then Mongolia Chicken. Both were yummie, although I couldn't finish the main course - that's going to be my lunch tomorrow. :D Pam - thanks for the "tag" - I will "play" tomorrow ... :)