The FastDay Forum

Hi buddies, not much to report today. I ate rather a lot yesterday but it didn't make much difference to my weight, the last time that happened it took a couple of days to increase so I won't be breathing that sigh of relief yet.

It's so annoying when our carefully worded messages go astray Ieramul, I think that's happened to all three of us recently. My last one was rather long and although I had just finished typing it I couldn't remember half of what I said. I didn't even try to re-write that one.

I hope you are both enjoying life, not long to go until the big day. I'm taking hubby out to buy my pressie tomorrow, he likes it to be a surprise so I won't be going into the shops with him. I hate surprises really, having to pretend to like something which might not be suitable but if it brightens up his day that's OK. I've tried hinting and even asking outright for what I want but he just ignores that. Last year he bought me a garden ornament, it was a bit twee, not something I really like. I have stuff all over the house which he has surprised me with, pictures on the wall, figurines, unread books etc. Years ago he bought me a silver necklace with my name on and I felt obliged to wear it whenever we went out, and I got lots of sarcastic remarks like "Do you have to wear that because you can't remember your name". I hated it - but at least he was thinking of me.

I think our Christmas will be like a normal (extended) weekend this year unless we see our daughter and family, we still haven't arranged anything with her.

It sounds like you have been enjoying Christmas already Ieramul, except for your disastrous Christmas dinner at your McDonald's Christmas party!

Did you manage to get your new coat Steph? I've just put two coats in the charity shop bag, they never fitted well or looked nice on me, that leaves me with just one fairly old coat for shopping and several scruffy but warm coats for dog walking and gardening. I think I'll have to follow your example and buy a new one. Not until after Christmas though.

This seems rather long for a message in which I had nothing much to say, have a good evening/afternoon ladies.

Coffee, I really did laugh out loud when I read your bit about not liking surprises and how your DH just ignores any hints and buys random presents he likes you to like. I am the same, I don't like surprises.
If the surprise is something I always wanted then is it not wonderful when I can look forward to it? And if I get something I don't like what is the point of owning it? Parties are the same. Anticipation is half the fun. A surprise party is only great if you hate it because at least you didn't have weeks of dread beforehand.

My DH is quite lazy in terms of presents. If I tell him what I want he will get it and if I tell him that I don't need anything then I will get nothing. One year he came back from a trip from America and he was sooooo proud of himself because "he found me the perfect Christmas present" his colleagues looked at him incredulously but he insisted I would LOVE it. It turned out to be a pink fleecy pyjama with white and pink hearts on it. I had to be in raptures about his thoughtfulness about me always beeing so cold. He was sooo proud of himself. Luckily I escaped sarcy comments as I don't wear it in public all that much.

We don't have much space and I don't like clutter. My MIL has just given her son his belated birthday presents. A kitchen scale (we have already) a clothes brush (ditto) and fudge. I wish she had stopped at the fudge. I am not sure what to do with these items.
MIL had requested not to do Christmas presents (just a lovely get together to which we all contributed). Everybody adhered to it apart from her. In previous years that really upset me because it is a way of playing the martyr (nobody gave me anything) but now I just let it go. These are the little Christmas games we play.
I like to give and receive just small presents - a token gift, something funny or thoughtful or hand made.
Tomorrow will be a fast day for me. Take care both of you. BIG HUG

I'm the odd one out here. I like surprises . It warms my heart to receive something a friend or loved one has chosen for me. I don't have to use the item if I don't like it. I've regifted things in the past. Two years ago my son gave me these awful leopard print slippers which I ended up wearing everyday. They were the most comfortable slippers despite the gaudy pattern and colour. I wore them until there was a hole in the sole. It will be interesting to see what he will give me this year. We went to Walmart last week and he and I went our separate ways to do some shopping. I have no idea what he bought and I am looking forward to the surprise. I've seen necklaces with names on them Coffee but not for many years and they were geared more towards young girls not women. I wouldn't have liked that gift either
Friends and I went to a nearby town for lunch and a walk through the shops and boutiques this afternoon. We had the most amazing appetizer. Brie, pecan, pear, and maple syrup on a flatbread. It was sooo good. My friends are so sweet. One of them made a flower bouquet as a centre piece for my table. She brought it to the restaurant, looked marvelous on the table (then I took it home of course!). My other friend gave us beautiful scarves she bought at a music festival in the summer. I don't normally wear scarves but this one will go with so many of my clothes and she showed us how to do a fancy knot. We looked so pretty . Over lunch my friends made it known to our server that we were celebrating my birthday so at the end of our lunch she came out with a "surprise" dessert. A warm chocolate brownie topped with ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce. Whipped cream and three maraschino cherries finished it off. There was even a birthday candle! It was a wonderful afternoon.
Now I am resting, I got quite tired from walking around the shops. Funny that, but it is always the way with me. Doddering about is not my thing. I tend to go into a store, quickly peruse and if they don't have what I want I leave. My friends are quite different. We went into some rather posh ladies wear stores and they went through every rack, trying things on, exclaiming how beautiful this or that was. The clothes weren't to my taste and I have a hard time with "window" shopping. I don't see the point to spending 45 minutes in a shop when I won't buy anything. But, it was pleasant to be out of the house. And there was a cute little fudge store where I found some eggnog fudge for my son's stocking. He will be pleased!
I won't be fasting anytime soon. Tomorrow afternoon my son and I will be making candy cane cookies (there are crushed up candy canes in the dough). He came home with the frozen dough from the school cook on Friday. It is now thawing so we can roll it out. I have to go get some cookie cutters tomorrow.
I found a great coat, I thought. The tag said it would be warm to a temp of -15C so I wore it today. It wasn't even at the freezing mark outside and I was cold. So, now I have to take it back I also bought some boots but haven't worn them yet, other than in the store, so I will do that this week, I think, to see how they fit when I walk. I have a really hard time with shoes and boots. My feet are odd
I started reading a book last night in bed when I couldn't sleep. The book has been sitting beside my bed for months! so now I will go back to it while Adam watches more Dr. Who episodes.
Have a good fast Ieramul! sorry about the food descriptions, just had to share LOL. Have a splendid day my friends!

Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Steeeeeeeeph, happy birthday to you!!!!!!!


Congratulations steph and what wonderful friends you have, taking you out for the day and giving you lovely gifts. Good friends are worth more than anything in the world. Just to add, I do like small gift surprises when someone finds a present that is relevant to me just not when it is randomly forced in order to give something for the sake of it.

I am a dreadful shopper, I can cruise round shops without buying anything for hours. I even warn well meaning sales assistant, that I am their nightmare shopper, so if they want to do themselves a favour they should just ignore me.

Your lunch yesterday, steph sounds amazing - especially in the middle of a fast day. What a shame about your coat, having to take it back. I am looking for a new coat, too but it could take me years before I find the right one. (Yes, I am really a nightmare shopper ). Shoes/boots are another thing - I have funny feet and very few shoes are comfy to me. So I don't buy many.

Steph, if you are not fasting, are you still popping your head into our little tent occasionally? Would be lovely as we would miss your tales of your life. Take care today BIG HUG

Thank you SO much Ieramul for your birthday wishes!!! Where on earth do you find all those great smilies? You made me chuckle. What a lucky woman I am to have you and coffee to chat with! I am continuing to pop in here even though this week I won't be fasting. I hate to say this but I've surpassed my weight of last January. I have been gorging myself and I have gained because of it. I am getting sick of all the sweets, though, so I'm hoping to fast again and be mindful of my TDEE after Christmas. I am appalled at my current weight!
Adam and I made the cookies this afternoon. He rolled out and cut out the first batch to go in the oven and then he deserted me. He had no interest in baking them all. We gave some to our neighbour. I ate WAY too many of them. And I sent him off with the last of them, a big tin full, to his friend's Christmas party tonight. Good riddance! Now I've finished my sixth or seventh cup of tea of the day! I will brush my teeth to get the awful sugar taste out. Do you ever experience this? You eat lots of sugary treats and your mouth gets overwhelmed with the sweetness and taste? Unfortunately, I sometimes just keep on eating regardless LOL. I prepped all my vegetables and tofu for a stir fry tonight but I am so full of junk food I won't be able to eat it. Tomorrow night I will be going out for a birthday dinner with my sister so I don't know when I'll be eating it. Maybe for lunch?
I'm thinking of making Mohnkuchen for our dessert on Christmas Eve but am afraid I will eat too much of it and then not want to eat my great dinner. I think I will go to the grocery store and just buy a couple of pieces of cake. Keep it simple and less tempting.
We've been invited to have Christmas dinner at the seniors' residence after we're finished our visiting on Christmas day! So sweet of the staff to invite us. I was touched. Now I just have to hope neither Adam nor I will get sick! I'd hate to miss out on the visiting. I am keen to put together little treat bags of chocolates and clementines and candy canes for the residents. I have Christmas cards that Adam and I will give out as well. And Adam will decorate the windows. I am excited .
Well, time to brush these teeth and rinse my mouth, really give it a good swish with mouthwash! LOL I may go out for a walk again (it was bright and sunny as I walked around to do some errands this morning), although I am feeling quite lazy. What a boring night it will be watching tv. I've tried reading today and just can't get interested. Oh well.
Toodles!
how did your fast day go, Ieramul? and how are you coffee? I missed you today.

Hi Buddies, sorry I wasn't around yesterday, it was a bit chaotic here.

First of all a belated Happy Birthday Steph, you had lovely time with your friends, that must have been fun.

I didn't take hubby shopping after all - all my fault though as I tried to tell him I didn't like surprises and could I please have something I want instead. Perhaps that wasn't very tactful of me and he got upset and angry and refused to come with me so I went alone. Just as well really as it was difficult to park and the town was heaving, he wouldn't have got far hobbling along with a stick. Now he is worrying about not having a present for me and wants to go today, that's the last thing I want to do, I might take him to Camelford tomorrow, it's only a short drive, there aren't many shops there but I'm sure he will find something for me. Our son turned up yesterday and stayed overnight, he will be going home today and I want to spend some time with him, we don't see him so often now that he has moved further away. He's just loading up his van with his plants in huge pots - dozens of them, which I've been looking after for several years, he didn't have a garden where he used to live, he also dug a few of the plants out of our garden (with my permission). At least that will be less watering for me to do, I'm sure he will be planting them before Christmas and I'm looking forward to seeing them in their new home.

I keep getting side tracked and coming back to this.

My Christmas pressie for myself has just arrived, I don't usually buy myself anything but it was after reading about your pressie to yourself Ieramul which gave me the idea. I now have some of new earrings which was one of the ideas I suggested to hubby but it wouldn't have been a surprise so he wouldn't buy them.

I probably won't be fasting either until after Christmas but I'll try not to be silly and eat everything too quickly. I will still be looking in here from time to time.

I think I will have to stop typing, it's like a mad house here with the dogs, last minute present wrapping, sorting out stuff for son to take back with him etc.
So ta ta for now.

Wishing you both a blessed Christmas and a very happy New Year. your buddy Ieramul

Good for you Coffee for buying yourself something for Christmas! and a very happy Christmas to you! Frohe Weihnachten Ieramul! My wishes pale in comparison to your fancy smilies but my wishes are heartfelt.
I must start that rouladen. Mom says my Oma would cook it very slowly all day, letting the broth reduce again and again to make a flavorful gravy. I'm hoping I will do it right LOL. Better get cooking!
All the best, my friends, enjoy your time with family.

Just looked in to wish you both a happy Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful time.

Funny old day yesterday, hubby slept through most of it and missed his Christmas dinner - which he had been looking forward to for weeks, then he raided the fridge a couple of times during the night. Off to see our daughter later, if hubby is still sleepy I will go alone, it won't seem right though.

I hope you both had a lovely day, I've been eating too much festive fare since Tuesday and have put on about 3 lb but it will be just as easy to shift.

The fun is not over yet, eat (not too much), drink (not too much) and be merry





Edit - Change of plan, I couldn't see my daughter today, maybe tomorrow.

Hello buddies, I hope you were able to get together with your daughter today coffee. It is lovely being with family at this time of year. I went out for lunch with my sisters this afternoon for my birthday. It was a beautiful inn/restaurant but the food was so overpriced it was crazy. The desserts were small yet they cost $9! which I think is about 5 pounds to you. An insane amount. But, my sister, Cathy has the money and she chose the place. After we were done our desserts the waitress came out with two more slices of cake with a lit sparkler and my sisters sang happy birthday. It was so lovely. I took the cake home and gorged on it as soon I got home this evening. I have decided that I will start eating properly tomorrow. The past four days have been awful, eating constantly for hours each afternoon and into the evening. Chocolates, cookies/biscuits, cake, chips/crisps after a regular meal. I get so full my stomach hurts but I still eat. I am so sick of this. I have to get through a day of normal eating tomorrow and then I hope to fast on Monday. There are only a few treats left and I'm hoping Adam eats them tonight . All these sweets and junk have not been good for my diabetes, of course.
Adam did not enjoy visiting the elderly on Christmas day, he didn't like the "smells' in the building. I don't smell anything but air freshener when I am there. But, he made it through and was polite and smiled and answered questions. A big feat that he wouldn't have been able to master even a couple of years ago. I was pleased. He didn't want to go to the dinner but I insisted. He hardly ate anything. The woman who sat with us, Margaret, is 99 years old! I was incredulous. She doesn't look a day over 80 and she was sharp as a tack. I think my friend, Marion, who I visit and is 93 is on too many medications which give her awful side effects. Her hands and head shake and make it difficult for her to eat and drink, I'm sure from one of her meds. They probably affect her mentally as well. A few months ago they changed one of her pills and she hallucinated for the whole day. It was awful. She saw creatures running up and down the walls of her room. She was terrified. Poor old gal. We popped in to visit her on Christmas as well. Her daughter was there so we didn't stay but she got to meet my son, who I talk about with her.
Well, it is raining but I think I will still go out for a walk and cool off. I've been having the most awful hot flashes/night sweats lately. I was hoping they would disappear after I finished going through menopause but no such luck. They are even worse now! My poor bed sheets, I have to wash them all again Gosh, here I am going on and on yet again
How were your Christmases ladies?

Hi buddies,
Well Christmas is over, I hope you both enjoyed it with your loved ones.
I wasn't looking forward to it but it didn't turn out as bad as expected, hubby stayed in bed most of the time, I don't think he was feeling too well so I spent the time watching films on TV and Netflix. I managed to see both of my children and their families, I went to see my daughter Helen on Saturday afternoon and had a lovely time with her family, I didn't see my youngest grandson as he was staying with his dad so he will get to open his pressies when he comes home today. Yesterday I went to Newlyn to see my son Glynn and youngest granddaughter and his girlfriend and her children who are all in their teens. We went for a walk on the beach with their dogs which was fun, I didn't take Maisie as she had been poorly for a couple of days, she was sick everywhere, every carpet in every room had to be cleaned up, I was going to take her to the vet today but she is OK now.

You must be proud of your son Steph, he didn't enjoy being with the elderly people at Christmas but he was kind to them and probably brightened up their day. Don't feel guilty about constantly eating, most of us go OTT with all the rich foods at Christmas and you were celebrating your birthday too. A few fasts will sort it out and you will be back on track. Needless to say I ate too much, I think it was because I was a bit bored being alone most of the time, but 3 lb over my maintenance weight is not too bad and won't take long to get rid of. I'm having a fast day today so that's a start. Are we all having a fast day?
I hope all is well with you Ieramul?

We are lucky here in Cornwall, no snow just a hard frost, my daughter wouldn't agree, she loves the snow and was hoping for a white Christmas. The sun is shining and we have a blue cloudless sky, I must get dressed and take Maisie for a walk, oooh I'm so lazy!

Big hugs all round

Oh coffee, how wonderful to have seen your children! sounds like you had some lovely and loving days with them. Good to hear Maisy is on the mend. If your vet bills are as nutty as here you were spared a great expense.
I am fasting today. It is noon and I am not in the least bit hungry. I am aiming to eat around 3, if I'm hungry. I have a stir-fry all prepped. Then for supper my yummy tagine which I added diced chicken to this morning. I don't tend to eat enough protein so I want to be more diligent in that regard. Yesterday was a bit better than previous days. I ate a decent meal for lunch and then some salad and egg for supper. Then it all went to pot and I ate more and more. I tried to eat healthy stuff like a clementine and some pistachios but caved and had Adam run to the store for some smarties (chocolate coated in a candy shell). Then I ate some unhealthy granola bars. However, after eating one I put the other two in the compost just to get rid of the temptation. They were ones Adam wouldn't eat. Anyway, I am slowly getting back in the swing of things and am hoping to increase my vegetable and fruit intake in the next week to see if I feel better. All the junk makes me sluggish. I have to change my habits of the past month or so or I will continue to gain weight .
Oh gosh, here I go, on and on. Well you get the drift
I hope your fast is going well Coffee! You just have the evening to get through now. Ieramul are you fasting today?
Hugs right back atcha!

I've got to 7.30pm and I must have gone well past 500 calories, I must stop eating NOW. It's always harder to fast after a break of a week or two but once the first one is over they seem to get easier. We can do this together Steph even though I am several hours ahead of you and there is an ocean between us. Decide to STOP EATING after your evening meal, drink plenty and try to keep busy or find something interesting to keep your mind off food, that's what I'm doing now.
All the best

Hi Coffee! you can do it! no more food now until bed. Have some hot tea. I am slowly sipping some refreshing almond milk that comes in at only 35 calories per cup. I've had my first meal of the day, my tasty stir-fry and after eating only a small portion I am stuffed. Now I just have to listen to that full feeling and not start eating everything in sight! Enjoy the evening, maybe take Maisy for a walk? or go out by yourself for a bit? distraction is the name of the game on fast days I've found. I haven't gone out yet today. I went for two walks yesterday and I should at least walk to the post office to mail some thank you cards. I am feeling so lazy, though. Even had my prescription delivered today instead of driving to the pharmacy. Oh, the sun just came out, a good reason to get off my rump and go outside!
Talk again soon!