Diet Watch Monday

I was out on Saturday night for the switch on of the Christmas lights/firework display and after for a meal with some friends....

...the first of many calorie rich outings that's happening between now and January!!!

However the meal in the restaurant on the quay (the Market House) turned into a bit of a shambles and did not turn out to be quite so calorie rich after all!! LOL

Two other couples with us had already arrived and ordered their wine and us three sat down and tried to order ours but they had run out!!!

Now when I tell you that there is only a limited wine menu with only 4 white wines (it's not that cheap either....well not compared to Wetherspoons LOL) I think you will agree with me that that is quite inexcusable!!! We are talking a chain here not an owner operator! (St Austell brewery's by the way)

I had been before and was not that impressed than and I'm even less impressed now! The waiter is really nice...he has served us before...but when he suggested the Sauvignon Blanc instead my friend nearly went ballistic and said something like I don't think so it's a lot dearer...that is unless you are going to give it us for the same price....the answer to that was a no from the floor manager!! Anyway the wine we eventually got was O.K. but it was not exactly what we had hoped for so we only had the one bottle between us.

I had already planned not to have a starter 'cos quite frankly these days I can't managed three courses comfortably and I really wanted to have a pudding.....we all did! :)

So the mains arrived and I have to say I did enjoy my veggie lasagne with garlic bread.....bliss after so many weeks without bread/pasta....there were little niggles with some of the other meals though.....the crab linguine was decidedly lacking in crab.....it's cheap from Brixham market too!......and the fish and chips with the catch of the day...which makes it sound like something nice from Brixham market turned out to be pollack......now that is really cheap too but their charges are not!!! They said it was tasty but the rip off factor sort of added to my negative thoughts on the meal.

Now for the puds that we all were looking forward to...........sorry we have sold out of nearly everything was what we heard...only apple pie and apple and blackberry pie left not even any ice cream....oh they had cheese and biscuits but only one person was even vaguely interested in that!!!.....I was not interested in any pastry based pud and neither as it turned out was anyone else so we paid the bill and left!!!

Went back to a couples house not far from the harbour and had a glass of wine/coffee and biscuits and cheese there....well I had one biscuit and one bit of cheese LOL ;)

So long story short.....my evening was now not as calorific as I had thought it would be and now for the weight...

I'm STILL 73 kilo!

Oh well....if I can manage to at least stay the same through the festive season I'll be happy :)

xoxo Sioux

Advent Sunday

It's the first Sunday in Advent so it's time to light the candle.

My hearth at the moment looks like this...

...Christmas decorations don't go up in my house till after my birthday later in December but to celebrate Advent I like to bring out my much loved angel and light a candle.

I bought the poinsettia on Thursday in Sainsbury's......I thought it was very reasonably priced at £3.50 and looks very festive sitting in my log basket...

...not that I've got any logs 'cos the fire is electric!! :) LOL

Have a peaceful Advent.

xoxo Sioux

T!m is doing it again!

Great news folks T!m is doing the 12 tags of Christmas again this year :)

See all the details here.

Also you won't have to miss out on hopping around to see others creations 'cos it turns out he is doing it himself this year!!!

Phew....that's my gilt trip over LOL...

...but just remember where that little thought all started!!! ROFL

I'll be back on the 1st of December with the group challange for The Artistic Stamper so do come back for that ;)

xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Marathon Sunday in Paradise!

...I bought more bark and manure on Saturday morning before going for my yearly eye test...nothing has changed....phew no need to spend more money on new glasses!

It was grey and very overcast and quite frankly my heart (and my back) was just not into doing yet more digging!
I knew that I really should be doing something in the garden though and decided that cleaning the plastic furniture was the lesser of two evils! HOL

...and on Sunday?....even if I do say so myself....I excelled all my expectations!
Perhaps because the sun was shining it put me in a better mood to crack on and get everything done!!! ;)

...I planted the bamboo (I split the one plant up in the hope that this stimulates a bit of vigorous growth)...I'm amazed how much more there seems to be of it already!

.......planted the Mahonia...

...and Aucuba.

I decided I wanted a Cornus yesterday and bought this red stemmed one and planted that...

...I also decided I wanted another currant bush yesterday and bought this blackcurrant and planted that...

...dug up the redcurrant from the veggie patch and planted that in the large border...

...dug up the pink poppy from the veggie patch and planted that in the small border...

...found the other poppy I bought in the summer (a red one) just about hanging on! So moved that near the cornus...

...moved the carnation....Alan Titchmarsh...
...I could have done with him helping with the planting I can tell you! HOL

...started laying the bark (3 bags) but quickly discovered I needed more so off I went to the garden centre yet again!
That poor lad who loads the cars must be sick to death of me right now!!!

...stopped for a quick bowl of soup and emptied another 3 bags of bark on the large border but left a few patches where the roses are destined to go if they ever get here...
...yes I still have bags of bark still to put on!!!!

...my back was beginning to tell me I ought to have a rest but time was pressing and I needed to get the veggie patch dug and the manure spread over that too, as I am running out of weekends in which to do any gardening before Christmas!!!

The veggie patch really needed the manure as it has been neglected these past couple of years! What a bonus I had whilst doing this...as there has been the remains of an old tree stump of some sort slowly rotting away and being generally in the way since we moved here 7 years ago but it has always refused to budge.....
...well today Supersonic Sioux managed to get it out!!!!

RESULT :)
It can rot away to it's heart content in the wild wood patch now ;)
Why I did not loose weight this week is beyond me!!!

Now whilst at the garden centre yet again I saw these topiary box pyramids...

...and I found that I really, really, really needed three!!...

...they were reduced in price by 50 per cent so it would have been silly not to don't ya think?! ;)
Now I must put a hold on the spending and let my paradise garden grow on through the winter :)

Thanks for looking at the mammoth post today and popping round to visit during the make over....I've enjoyed your company ;)

There will be a paradise party at some point next year...to which you will all be invited....I hope to see you there...bottle of Cava in hand ;)

xoxo Sioux

Diet Watch Monday

You would think with the extra walking I've managed to fit in this week not to mention all the garden work I got through on Sunday ;) that I could announce I had lost another kilo.

But no......I'm 72 kilo...admittedly I'm slap bang in the middle of the mark and not slightly over it like last week so I suppose I've possibly lost half a pound!!!

Heck....I've not even strayed and been naughty!!! HOL

At this rate I'm not going to hit my target of 67 kilo by 14th December!!!!

One thing I will not do though is give up....I'm not a quitter...

...perhaps I'll do 3 protein days in a row like I had to at the very start and hope that speeds up the process!

I so much wanted to be 67 kilo by that date and just know it won't be happening now as I have a number of probably quite calorific trips and evenings out in the run up to Christmas! :)

Hey ho......I refuse to stop enjoying myself ;)

xoxo Sioux

Imagine Picket Fence for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing two tags today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog !

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Gordon Bennett SCD!

What are you doing to me SCD?

Yesterday was a very special Strictly from Wembley was it not?

Great spectacle.....such a great bunch of people too sharing their dancing journey.

It was emotional......I cried!

Tonight Il Divo......Pip always bought me any new album from them for my Birthday or Christmas...

...I cried!

Russell going.....it was his time!.....but bless him...

...I cried!

I can only think that I'm so emotional 'cos I'm tired...

...I'm tired but I've finished the planting...well all but the roses but you can't plant what has not arrived yet can you?!!!

I'll update you on the progress when I can take some pictures....It was too dark by the time I finished...I kept egging myself on all day to finish and promised myself a sit down with a nice coffee in the garden if there was still a bit of daylight left...

...there was...

...I sat and looked at all I'd done...

...I cried! ;)

xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Gated at last!

Thursday was a lovely day here and when I came home for lunch the man that can was here putting the finishing touches to the garden :)

He made and fitted the gate...had to as it is an awkward situation and size and he wanted to make the opening as large as possible...

...now no one can walk straight into my back garden like before.....and it makes it just that bit more secure in my own mind ;)

...I do like the door hardware :) :)...Gary's choice as I could not know what would have been needed size wise.

He made and fitted the lid to the old coal bunker...

...great that he used a matching handle don't you think? :)

I'll be painting this and the gate green to match the sheds in the New Year when the weather is drier!

He placed the breeze blocks to make the containing bit for the bamboo filling it with some more topsoil...

...he's done a grand job and even complimented me on the design I asked him to work to...
...I am thrilled beyond belief....it is all I imagined and more!!!

The weather is looking fine for Saturday and Sunday so I'll plod on with getting more bark and planting the last few plants.....but I'm still waiting for those roses so I'm not going to be actually fully complete yet.....but then when is a garden ever complete?!
Thanks for looking
xoxo Sioux

12 days of Christmas Announcement

An announcement today about my "splinter" group for the 12 tags of Christmas...

...that is if T!m decides to do it again this year!

Seeing as I don't know him I'm not party to his intentions ;)

I've been thinking about this a lot...........but I'm sorry....this year I cannot host the splinter group where we can all get to hop around and see each others creations......I know this will be a disappointment to you but I have so many things going on at just the same time that I will not be able to join in and make any tags myself never mind have enough time to do all the posts and attend to the "splinter" group postings as well.

Just thought I would warn you. Have fun with the 12 tags if it happens...I'll be with you in spirit :)

Happy stamping!

xoxo Sioux

ATC Zettiology

Only just noticed I never posted this....only nearly 12 months since I typed it up!!!
Seeing as I have not shared much arty stuff recently here is an ATC.

Not too sure this is as zettified as it should to be!! LOL Still not quite got the Zetti vibe yet!!

The houses, funny person and sentiment down the side "Wherever I lay my hat that's my home" are stamps from Home Impressions

Thanks for looking and happy stamping :)

xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch Bulb and Bark Day!

Saturday dawned bright and fine and it was off to the hairdresser for my cut first thing.

Walked to town and back....part of the diet and trying to be healthy thing plus it also saves on the petrol and parking!!! LOL It takes about 25 minutes each way.

Got home and sorted my lunch ready for later and started with the task of planting the rest of the stuff I did not get round to last weekend.....and the even bigger task of planting all my bulbs!!!

I laid the bulbs (and the bare root plants that luckily came in the post that morning) on the ground in their packets for starters to get an idea of colour combo's ;)

I had what I thought was lots of bulbs...they certainly took me ages to plant!! But again looking a little sparse when laid on the soil ready to go!

I managed to totally finish the smaller bed by the end of Saturday including putting down the bark....heavens those bags are heavy...the sack truck helped but they are still heavy!

By the end of Sunday I had run out of bark.....

and run out of patience....but finished all I could at this precise moment as I need to make a trip to the garden centre next weekend for some more bark......you always need far more than you think!!!

....one more good day will see the end of the planting but I have to hope that the three roses and a peony still to arrive do so soon and also hope the weather will be O.K. for the man who can to finish off the bamboo bed so I can totally finish the planting.....

Then I really need to have a while off this planting malarkey!!! HOL

BTW.......my weight last week was 73 kilo and this week it's hovering just slightly past the 72 kilo mark so that's good.

Thank for looking

xoxo Sioux

Happy Card for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

Garden Watch - Day 14

Day 14 Sunday

Lots of holes.....lots of compost and long life feed in all the holes!!

.....shrub compost on top too...this Oleander was the first to be planted :)

...I ran out of time to do all I really wanted :(
I've left the canes in till the rest of the plants arrive to remind me of the eventual heights.

There were quite a lot of big holes to dig and although the soil is fairly easy to work...those back ache rests came into play! LOL
I got nowhere close to attempting the bulbs and I was working from 9.30 till 5!!!

The phormium had to be dug up from the veggie patch/nursery bed ;)...
...where it has been for the past two/three years waiting for the make over to happen! It's a great size though and would have cost me quite a bit if I'd bought it this big!

Still to move the carnations, the poppy and the redcurrant.

Still to plant this evergreen winter flowering clematis to clad the wall behind the veggie patch

Still to plant these as the man who can still needs access to the wall to finish off the bamboo bed yet and I can't quite make up my mind if they are in the right place till my other plants turn up ;)

All in all I'm pleased that I got as much done as I did ;)

I'll just have to be patient and hope this Saturday and Sunday will be as forgiving weather wise!

Garden Watch will be tailing off now......I'll post about my gate when it's done I'm sure....and when I plant the bulbs and the roses etc....so until then....

...."enjoy your garden" as dear old Percy Thrower used to say...
...yep I started watched Gardening Club/Gardeners World way back when in the 60's with my Dad...
...and all these years later I've been able to tap into some of the knowledge I've gleaned and create my very own little oasis (with great help from the man that can of course!) that will be easy to maintain now I'm on my own.
Happy Days ;)
Thanks for sharing my garden make over.....it's been great fun having you along :)

xoxo Sioux
P.S. I can feel my back today but it's not as bad as I expected it to be :)

Diet Watch Monday

Last week I was stuck on 74 kilo!!!
But great news..........this week I'm now 73 kilo :)

I should darn well think so too with all that digging in the garden yesterday! LOL
I'll try and get some photo's at lunch today.......I ran out of time as it got too dark yesterday!!!

Sioux xoxo

Garden Aura Watch! - Day 13

Saturday Day 13
A lovely sunny day :)

I went to the garden centre bright and early to get some bone meal, planting compost and bark chippings. I want to get the plants off to the best start I can :)

First I used a bag and a half of bark that has been lingering for quite some time in my garden to make a narrow pathway at the back of the large border......I even found some sort of fungi growing in them that look suspiciously like the start of chanterelles...
...we will have to wait and see! LOL

Then I laid all the plants out to get a feel of where they should go (that took more time than I thought).....the canes are to give a bit of visual indication as to the eventual height that the plants might...and I do say might! achieve ;)...

..I have got some more to come as the roses, a peony and some other bare root plants have not been dispatched yet!

Oooh er.....I must remind myself that they are going to grow into the space but it does look a little bare at the minute!!!

The cane seats were given to me by my bestest friend up North...really they are not meant to be outside all the time, but I have nowhere big enough to store them inside for the winter so they just have to take their chances under the green cover that is drying out on the washing line!!! LOL. It does not look like I've achieved much today but what with going to the garden centre, moving the pots back and the furniture and having to feed myself too, it did not leave a lot of spare time to plant...
...that and I have to take breaks along the way to ensure I don't put my back out!!!

Now.....you know I mentioned the Gods on Mount Olympus yesterday?
Wellll........what do you make of this? Please do enlarge the photo for a better look see ;)

I've "hearted" the strange blue/purple globe on the picture!
Is it the late evening sun catching the camera lens and causing it to flare or is it an aura?
If it is an aura then those colours are supposed to signify peace (I googled it!!!)...
....I've always had a very positive and yes.....peaceful vibe from this back garden...sooooooo...
....I'll leave it for you to decide :)
Thanks for looking.....Sunday....today.... will see me actually digging the holes and planting...
....Oh and I have lots of bulbs to do too!!!! I hope my back holds out!! LOL
Will I get it all done today? I'd really like to try as otherwise it will be next Saturday before I can get to do any more planting.
xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Day 12

Day 12 Thursday
I had a bit of a lie in as it was raining so I did not have to move my car off the drive to give access to the man who can!!!
As I was just setting off to work he turned up even though it was looking a bit dodgy weather wise...and said he thought it was clearing but was waiting for the up to the minute weather forcast.
Well....the Gods on Mount Olympus must have been watching....because what was destined to be a bit of another wash out turned into a fine and at times bright sort of day!!!
So apart from the gate, the top for the old coal bunker and the retaining blocks for a bed to control the roots of a bamboo I'm planting (because the wall and cement needs to go off properly for a couple of days before he starts drilling etc.) most all the rest is done :)
The wall is complete...(the boards and loose bricks on top are to protect from the downpour that was forcast....and happened....on Friday.

...those eagle eyed amongst you might have noticed that the "wild wood" stone wall had gaps in the stones.......no need to worry it was on Gary's to do list.....he's good at the to do list no prompting either (unlike experiences with other work men in the past...I'm sure you know where I'm coming from!!! HOL)...so the pointing was done on the stones...and the last two slabs put down as stepping stones (even though they do not have good edges ...why waste them? You won't see them much when everything grows)....it's to be able to get round to the back of the larger bed easily in the future...(needs a little more gravel to finish but time ran out!)

...my washing whirly-gig re sited...

...the brick work and cementing done to make good the tatty old coal bunker thingy (and the rubbish piled up inside taken away :) )....I'll paint it to match the house next summer...

...

It's really up to me now to get those plants in and in the right place....although I rather like the minimalist look it has at the mo...LOL!

...I hope I don't go and ruin it!! ;) 
Thanks for joining me on my Garden Watch....I'll get back to you just as soon as there is some planting to show ;)
xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Day 11

Day 11 (Wednesday)

Again it was a grey day in a weathered wood sort of way!!! LOL

It did rain a bit though!

The gravel path was finished and a lovely new brick step made to take care of the different levels...

...with a little brick edging to the drain to stop the gravel clogging it up...can you tell I love everything about this make over yet?!!! HOL ;)

...the drive/pathway at the front was also topped up...although not quite finished due to the rain!

...well it would have been silly not to have that little job done whilst the man who can was here ;)

The pointing to the slabs was finished and the lower patio has had smaller gravel used as infill to really tie the different slabs together ;)

...the last lot of steps finished off...

...the enclosing wall that will make the back garden secure was started ;)

There are a couple of things still to do...but we are almost there!

If you ever want any landscape gardening doing and you live in the South Devon area then I can thoroughly recommend Gary who can be contacted on 07973 839363 afraid he does not have a web site he's too busy doing great jobs like these to set one up!!!

Thanks for looking and if you were wondering where my Artistic Stamper post for today is click here.
xoxo Sioux