Ex Pat Update!
We have been back in Spain for 3 1/2 weeks but it really seems much longer as we have been quite busy.
The Weather has been very good most of the time but a bit of a mixed bag to say the least. We have many days of non-stop sunshine from dawn to dusk at some points with temperatures up in the 20’s. However this has been interspersed with some days of cloud, wind and rain and today we even have had some snow! Yes, snow! It has snowed all afternoon but fortunately it was mixed with rain so did not get the chance to settle.
Working – Peter is still plodding along on his mountain garden project and I have actually ventured down there too and done a bit of weeding in the completed terraced areas. You would think that with all the TLC Peter has showed the ground it would have more respect than to spurt forth weeds wouldn’t you!
We did plan to have the painters in this month to freshen up the entire villa but all our friends said they did not think it needed doing so we have cancelled the project for the time being. Thank goodness for not having the upheaval!
A spurt of energy led to me completely reorganising the lounge layout. I’ve always had a 3-seater settee across the room effectively dividing the room into two, a lounge and dining area. I have now moved the settee to the side and effectively opened up the room making it look much bigger. The TV is now relocated beside the fireplace, which is where I have always wanted it but the point was in the wrong place. However, where there’s a will there’s a way, they say. Our archaic hi-fi unit, which was in an ugly black cabinet, (a temporary purchase 5 years ago) has now been secreted away in the bottom cupboard of the dresser and the speakers placed on top of the dresser. Functional but no longer an eyesore! The ugly rack of CD’s has also been banished and the CD’s now reside, easily accessible, in a unit in my office. The TV cabinet (also an ugly black 5 year ago temporary purchase) will also go when we take delivery of a lovely new wooden one, which we searched for and found a couple of days ago, that matches the occasional tables.
Gosh, they say a change is a good as a rest. It was hard work but my new bigger looking lounge/diner looks lovely and surprisingly clutter free and it gave me a much needed boost.
Health and Fitness
Smoking – Today we have been non-smokers for 28 days and can honestly say we are not missing it and feel better for it. Why did we not do it before?
Eating – I notice that Pete is always ready for his meals and is eating more and he is nibbling away at chocolates, crisps and nuts during the evening, which is something he never used to do before he stopped smoking. It won’t hurt him as he can afford to put on some weight.
I would love to pick away at the salty, fatty, sugary foods too but obviously have to more disciplined as I have to control the sugar for the Diabetes and am trying to lose a bit of weight too so must close my eyes and thought to the salty, fatty foods too. So if I want to nibble I have a piece of fresh fruit or some dried fruit. Not quite the same as it is not so decadent but fills the hole and stops the rumbling!
Although still consciously eating healthily, I do feel that the meal portions have grown a bit bigger. Simply, I have been feeling hungrier which is probably a result of the extra exercise I am doing. People are still noticing and commenting on my weight loss and my clothes are definately getting looser but I refuse to weigh myself on my iffy scales. Pete weighed himself the other day just to test them and came up with 4 different readings!
I have been watching Paul McKenna’s ‘I Will Make You Thin’ on Sky One on a Monday night. I must say it has not done a lot for me as it all seems so false and hyped up. I do find his mind conditioning CD helpful though and writing this has made me realise that it is time to listen to it again!
Exercise – I am still doing the walking and it is so much easier now. Unfortunately the current inclement weather has prevented us from going out for a couple of days. No, not a weak excuse! There is absolutely no way I will walk on this mountain in the wind, snow and rain with the water running down the mountain and around my feet like a river! When the weather improves I will be out there again, never fear!
Our walks have increased both in distance and in time. The original walk of half an hour now takes only 10 minutes so we have had to venture further afield. This also means that this involves an increased distance of up hill walking too as wherever we walk further from the house inevitably it involves hill walks either on the way or on the way back. It is getting easier though I am happy to say. I am not getting so out of breath and the muscles are not rebelling quite as much either.
Socialising – Inevitably you can’t avoid socialising here in Spain, even if you wanted to, and we don’t! We have joined friends for meals on numerous occasions. Our friends are very thoughtful and think of my eating when planning their menus and if we go to a restaurant I do always try to order healthily and sensibly from the menu and also watch the amount of vino imbibed! It does not stop me enjoying myself. I must confess though to having chips one evening and they were lovely!
Tonight we are venturing out in this cold and wet weather to meet up with 16 others, some of which are our friends and others more friends of theirs. This is to celebrate the Chinese New Year. I seem to remember that the weather was bad at this time last year too as the fireworks were a somewhat damp squib! I will report on the evening in my next blog writing!
Byee for now, Val
