Things finally seem to be on the up with my recuperation. Had a really good physio session on Tuesday and she was happy enough with my recovery so far and gave me the green light to go and start doing some exercise again :)
So I literally left the physio appt, went home to change and went straight to the gym. And it felt great. I only did 15 mins on the treadmill at a fast walk, 15 mins on the bike and 3 sets of 18 leg presses, but it's all baby steps. I need to remember that my surgery was only 7 weeks ago, and resist all temptation to go hell for leather and end up damaging myself. I'm going to do a week or 10 days of the same very light workout (every other day or so) and then if I have no adverse effects, there's no reason for me not to start back to yoga, do a Zumba class and even some upper body strength training, as long as I keep the weights light for now as it's still very early days.
I must admit though, it's amazing how anxious I obviously am subconciously about hurting my neck. I really enjoyed my first session back in the gym, but spent the rest of the day and the day after fretting about every little bit of pain, in case I'd done something to damage myself. Happily though, my pain has been no worse than it had been in the previous days, and in fact, I am now down to only taking one dose of strong painkillers, at night. I'm very pleased with that as it means I've been able to drive again and though I've not been driving far, it's amazing to be able to have my independence back.
I wanted to go and do a second gym sesh today, but ended up meeting some friends for lunch instead. So I did some WiiFit, which I've dusted off, just as a bit of light exercise to keep my motivation going, and I plan to go to the gym in the morning.
Some good plans for the weekend ahead. Going to see Peter Kay tomorrow night and then lunch and afternoon cocktails on Saturday with one of my oldest buddies. She doesn't go out much as she has two small children so any time we get to spend together is to be savoured over good food and drinkies!
Now to spend the rest of the evening snuggled under my fleece blanket, watching the football. Happy days.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Thursday, 25 November 2010
A few photos
As promised, here's a couple of photos I've taken this week so far.
The first few are of my favourite subject to photograph, my gorgeous niece Ciara.
And then I decided to get myself in the Christmas mood by taking a couple of wintery, festive photographs.
Between the photos and the selection box, I'm feeling quite excited about Christmas now!!!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
The first few are of my favourite subject to photograph, my gorgeous niece Ciara.
And then I decided to get myself in the Christmas mood by taking a couple of wintery, festive photographs.
Between the photos and the selection box, I'm feeling quite excited about Christmas now!!!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Coming of age?
Monsoon. Always been a shop that I classed as a bit old for me, a bit expensive for what it is and just not somewhere I'd think of shopping.
So if I now decide I like (some of) the clothes I ask myself has it changed or have I changed? Am I turning into an oldie? Am I one step away from getting my hair cut short and a weekly blue rinse? Not that I, for one second, think that people who shop in Monsoon get regular blue rinses of course, but the point I'm making is that I feel like I'm becoming older than I like to think I am. I'll always be 19 in my heart!
Anyway, the reason for this startling revelation is that I have bought my first purchase from Monsoon today and am actually very pleased with it. So really I don't know why I'm getting my knickers in a twist.
Here it is:
It was one of those ones that looked rubbish on the hanger but then I saw one of the shop assistants wearing it with a belt and cool shoes and it transformed it and sold it to me.
In other news, I got given a selection box today for the first time in about 10 years and am as happy as a 4 yr old on Christmas morning, munching away cheerily on various chocolate bars. Simple things. Reminded me how awesome Toffee Crisps are.
Further to my previous post about my pact with myself to force myself to get out of the house plenty this week, I am pleased to report I've stuck to that so far. The week started terribly, my sleeping was so awful and I just felt rubbish. But I've still dragged myself out and about, even when I least wanted to. As a result, I've had 2 excellent nights sleep in a row and I feel a huge amount more positive. I was at my first post-op appointment with my surgeon on Tuesday and they are more than happy with my progress, so I guess that's perked me up too.
Anyway, I'll stop boring you now as am off to make some mushroom and chorizo risotto for dinner - nom!
Taken a few nice photos this week too so will pop back later and share a few of those.
Catchya!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
So if I now decide I like (some of) the clothes I ask myself has it changed or have I changed? Am I turning into an oldie? Am I one step away from getting my hair cut short and a weekly blue rinse? Not that I, for one second, think that people who shop in Monsoon get regular blue rinses of course, but the point I'm making is that I feel like I'm becoming older than I like to think I am. I'll always be 19 in my heart!
Anyway, the reason for this startling revelation is that I have bought my first purchase from Monsoon today and am actually very pleased with it. So really I don't know why I'm getting my knickers in a twist.
Here it is:
It was one of those ones that looked rubbish on the hanger but then I saw one of the shop assistants wearing it with a belt and cool shoes and it transformed it and sold it to me.
In other news, I got given a selection box today for the first time in about 10 years and am as happy as a 4 yr old on Christmas morning, munching away cheerily on various chocolate bars. Simple things. Reminded me how awesome Toffee Crisps are.
Further to my previous post about my pact with myself to force myself to get out of the house plenty this week, I am pleased to report I've stuck to that so far. The week started terribly, my sleeping was so awful and I just felt rubbish. But I've still dragged myself out and about, even when I least wanted to. As a result, I've had 2 excellent nights sleep in a row and I feel a huge amount more positive. I was at my first post-op appointment with my surgeon on Tuesday and they are more than happy with my progress, so I guess that's perked me up too.
Anyway, I'll stop boring you now as am off to make some mushroom and chorizo risotto for dinner - nom!
Taken a few nice photos this week too so will pop back later and share a few of those.
Catchya!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Come on Jildo!
Meh. I really must pull myself together.
It's been 5 and a half weeks since my operation and I'm at a stuttering halt in any progress I've been making. Maybe I'm not, but that's how I feel.
I'm achy rather than sore if that makes sense, but the worst thing is the complete and utter lethargy. I don't want to do ANYTHING. It's all I can do to drag my sorry ass from bed into the living room of a morning.
If I could buy motivation and positivity on eBay, I'd be the highest bidder but I've looked and apparently you can't.
So I need to sort myself out! Goal for the week is just to try and make an effort to get out and about a bit more. Ok, so it'll hurt, but I need to start strengthening my muscles up again and sitting on my ass in front of the telly is not a well-reknowned fitness building activity :)
I actually have an assignment to do for what I affectionately term 'Geek Club'. It's a photography group set up by a few past students of the same photography course I did - basically they set this group up as all the traditional photography clubs in the area are very competitive and quite unwelcoming of younger, new blood and wanted this to be more personal project focussed rather than competition. I joined up with my friend who I met on my course just as a means if remotivating myself for my photography as it's been severely lacking this year through one thing and another.
So I have a mini-project to do for that by next Monday, so that'll give me something to work on this week. I'll share with you as I do it, all feedback welcome!
Also this week I have my first post-op appointment with my surgeon. Hopefully it'll all be good news and that will perk me up too!
Anyway, enough of the misery and meh-ness, I've off to nom my chilli con carne!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
It's been 5 and a half weeks since my operation and I'm at a stuttering halt in any progress I've been making. Maybe I'm not, but that's how I feel.
I'm achy rather than sore if that makes sense, but the worst thing is the complete and utter lethargy. I don't want to do ANYTHING. It's all I can do to drag my sorry ass from bed into the living room of a morning.
If I could buy motivation and positivity on eBay, I'd be the highest bidder but I've looked and apparently you can't.
So I need to sort myself out! Goal for the week is just to try and make an effort to get out and about a bit more. Ok, so it'll hurt, but I need to start strengthening my muscles up again and sitting on my ass in front of the telly is not a well-reknowned fitness building activity :)
I actually have an assignment to do for what I affectionately term 'Geek Club'. It's a photography group set up by a few past students of the same photography course I did - basically they set this group up as all the traditional photography clubs in the area are very competitive and quite unwelcoming of younger, new blood and wanted this to be more personal project focussed rather than competition. I joined up with my friend who I met on my course just as a means if remotivating myself for my photography as it's been severely lacking this year through one thing and another.
So I have a mini-project to do for that by next Monday, so that'll give me something to work on this week. I'll share with you as I do it, all feedback welcome!
Also this week I have my first post-op appointment with my surgeon. Hopefully it'll all be good news and that will perk me up too!
Anyway, enough of the misery and meh-ness, I've off to nom my chilli con carne!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Ha! They've arrived!
Ooooh. My Ugg biker boots have arrived and are just as fab and comfy and cosy and funky as I hope they'd be!
I ended up buying them off eBay from an American seller and getting them for £175 compared to £250 in the UK. I always look into the sellers reputation on eBay before buying anything, particularly expensive stuff, but always still get twitchy in case my goods arrive and are duds. But happily these are the real deal and I thoroughly love them!
Here they are!
I was almost going to say I've reigned myself in from all the online shopping I've been doing lately then I remembered that I bought yet another pair of boots! But that really is IT now!
Here they are:
They're from River Island and I thought they'd be cute with dresses and skinnies. Can't wait to get the delivery now. My postman thinks it's hilarious that every day he's having to ring the doorbell to give me yet another parcel hahaha :D
Do they do hypnotherapy to stop people shopping?!
I ended up buying them off eBay from an American seller and getting them for £175 compared to £250 in the UK. I always look into the sellers reputation on eBay before buying anything, particularly expensive stuff, but always still get twitchy in case my goods arrive and are duds. But happily these are the real deal and I thoroughly love them!
Here they are!
I was almost going to say I've reigned myself in from all the online shopping I've been doing lately then I remembered that I bought yet another pair of boots! But that really is IT now!
Here they are:
They're from River Island and I thought they'd be cute with dresses and skinnies. Can't wait to get the delivery now. My postman thinks it's hilarious that every day he's having to ring the doorbell to give me yet another parcel hahaha :D
Do they do hypnotherapy to stop people shopping?!
Thursday, 11 November 2010
The rain and some movies
Wow! This weather is unbelievable. The rain is absolutely blattering against the window, the wind is so bad the bins are being trailed about the street and it is SO cold.
So, being off work sick on a day like this ain't so bad. I got up, showered and got into some comfy clothes, cranked up the heating, lit a smelly candle (Yankee Sugar and Cinnamon, a gift from my lovely pals Sam and Lori) and have had chilled out all day. I needed to really, I'm having a bad few days pain-wise, I'm not sleeping well and have just generally felt a bit rubbish :(
So I've been having a moviefest this last couple of weeks. Watching movies is something I love but don't generally have a lot of time for, so I'm taking the opportunity to watch as many as I can. This point is going to be ruined by the fact I'm crap at remembering the names of movies, but I shall do my best in an attempt to produce a vaguely interesting post hahaha.
A few I can remember:
The Hurt Locker - AWESOME. I'm into military stuff anyway but this is just an amazing movie and highly recommended.
Cemetary Junction - I put this on not having a clue what it was about or if it was any good, but actually really enjoyed it. It's a British movie, set in 1973 and based around 3 best mates deciding what to do with their lives. Pretty funny and an easy watch.
Social Network - Didn't expect much of this but really enjoyed it.
The Ugly Truth - Shite. I'm not a great romcom fan at the best of times but I just found this stupid. And Katherine Heigl does my head in.
The Joneses - I'd never heard of this before, it's about a fake family who are employed to live a perfect life to sell their lifestyle, clothes, cars, produucts they use etc to all the people they come into contact with. It was ok, one of those movies where the time passed quickly but the story wasn't really that exciting.
The Bounty Hunter - Rubbish, just rubbish. Didn't even finish it.
Green Zone - A bit disappointed in this actually, I found the story slow and a bit monotonous which is surprising as I do enjoy all things military. Not sure I'd recommend at all.
I'm sure there's more that I can't remember. I'm watching Inception tonight and cannot wait. I just it lives up to my expectations!
That's enough of the Film 2010 lecture :) Off to grab some grub and cosy up! Have a nice evening everyone xx
So, being off work sick on a day like this ain't so bad. I got up, showered and got into some comfy clothes, cranked up the heating, lit a smelly candle (Yankee Sugar and Cinnamon, a gift from my lovely pals Sam and Lori) and have had chilled out all day. I needed to really, I'm having a bad few days pain-wise, I'm not sleeping well and have just generally felt a bit rubbish :(
So I've been having a moviefest this last couple of weeks. Watching movies is something I love but don't generally have a lot of time for, so I'm taking the opportunity to watch as many as I can. This point is going to be ruined by the fact I'm crap at remembering the names of movies, but I shall do my best in an attempt to produce a vaguely interesting post hahaha.
A few I can remember:
The Hurt Locker - AWESOME. I'm into military stuff anyway but this is just an amazing movie and highly recommended.
Cemetary Junction - I put this on not having a clue what it was about or if it was any good, but actually really enjoyed it. It's a British movie, set in 1973 and based around 3 best mates deciding what to do with their lives. Pretty funny and an easy watch.
Social Network - Didn't expect much of this but really enjoyed it.
The Ugly Truth - Shite. I'm not a great romcom fan at the best of times but I just found this stupid. And Katherine Heigl does my head in.
The Joneses - I'd never heard of this before, it's about a fake family who are employed to live a perfect life to sell their lifestyle, clothes, cars, produucts they use etc to all the people they come into contact with. It was ok, one of those movies where the time passed quickly but the story wasn't really that exciting.
The Bounty Hunter - Rubbish, just rubbish. Didn't even finish it.
Green Zone - A bit disappointed in this actually, I found the story slow and a bit monotonous which is surprising as I do enjoy all things military. Not sure I'd recommend at all.
I'm sure there's more that I can't remember. I'm watching Inception tonight and cannot wait. I just it lives up to my expectations!
That's enough of the Film 2010 lecture :) Off to grab some grub and cosy up! Have a nice evening everyone xx
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Goodies!
I've not bought new clothes for aggggeees so since I'm a bit under the weather I'm using it as an excuse to treat myself (way more than I should!!!). I love winter clothes so much, I love scarves and boots and tights and coats and cardies and all things wintery!
So I've gone a bit shopping mad in the last 10 days and I thought I'd share my haul with you.
The most expensive purchase was my new boots from River Island. I needed (needed, you understand???!) some shoe boot style thingies for the winter, something I could wear with skinnies, dresses etc. So I got these:
Interestingly enough, on the website they are £125 and they are claiming they are a Selfridges exclusive, but I got them in the River Island Store for £95! Odd.
Anyway, next was a few bits and bobs from Top Shop.
I loved this top as soon as I saw it, it.'s open backed so will need a black cami/vest underneath but should be perfect for dressing up jeans or skinnies.
My final Top Shop purchase was spied in the shop but purchased online and arrived yesterday:
Ugg Biker Boots! They aren't cheap but given my last pair lasted 4 years, I think they're a decent investment. Oh, and I'm not paying anyway - get in! I'm still awaiting their arrival with baited breath, I cannot wait to get my hands on them. Shall report further once they arrive!!
Phew. I think that's it for now. Now I see that all on one page I feel a little bit sheepish. I'm off to lie in a darkened room and watch Liverpool flatten Wigan. Come on you Redmen!
So I've gone a bit shopping mad in the last 10 days and I thought I'd share my haul with you.
The most expensive purchase was my new boots from River Island. I needed (needed, you understand???!) some shoe boot style thingies for the winter, something I could wear with skinnies, dresses etc. So I got these:
Interestingly enough, on the website they are £125 and they are claiming they are a Selfridges exclusive, but I got them in the River Island Store for £95! Odd.
Anyway, next was a few bits and bobs from Top Shop.
The shorts don't seem to be on the web for some reason.....
I wore the above outfit with black opaques and my new boots to the Lady Gaga concert last week and loved it. Yes, I managed to totter about in those heels 3 weeks after surgery!
I loved this top as soon as I saw it, it.'s open backed so will need a black cami/vest underneath but should be perfect for dressing up jeans or skinnies.
My final Top Shop purchase was spied in the shop but purchased online and arrived yesterday:
Please excuse the dirty mirror complete with mermaid sticker, blame my niece for that! I'm not normally into hooded bomber jackets but I really liked this one, its well fitted and a nice cut.
So then onto New Look where I got this little number for £25:
This didn't come out so well in the photo but it's black with rows of red, blue and yellow tulips. Very cute. This was apparently brand new into the store and doesn't appear to be online. Can't wait to wear it with my red cardie, black opaques and biker boots.
A haul is not a haul without the obligatory Primark purchases of course!
The skinnies are like a khaki green colour and are almost identical to a pair I almost bought from TopShop for £42 (these were £11).
This wee scarf came from H & M and I've hardly had it off me since:
And I nearly forgot my jewellery! All from Top Shop:
Aren't the owl earrings the cutest things EVER?!!
And finally, the purchase which isn't really counted as a purchase as they are going to be my Christmas present from my Mum and Dad. I needed a new pair of Uggs, the old Kiwi Sheepskins I have are about 4 years old and are so rough looking. I'm not a huge fan of the look of Uggs but the comfort and cosiness cannot be denied. So I was planning to just get a pair of the Classic Uggs and then I saw these bad boys:
Ugg Biker Boots! They aren't cheap but given my last pair lasted 4 years, I think they're a decent investment. Oh, and I'm not paying anyway - get in! I'm still awaiting their arrival with baited breath, I cannot wait to get my hands on them. Shall report further once they arrive!!
Phew. I think that's it for now. Now I see that all on one page I feel a little bit sheepish. I'm off to lie in a darkened room and watch Liverpool flatten Wigan. Come on you Redmen!
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Weird Dreams
Well I'm still in early days recovering from my surgery on my neck and am still taking a load of painkillers, which are making me have even weirder than normal dreams. I do generally remember my dreams a lot, and have some corkers, but last nights was beyond weird. I probably wouldn't read on if you're a squeamish type!
I dreamt my eyeball fell out. Oh yes.
It went like this. The dream started with me looking in the mirror and my eye seemed to swell and just burst out of it's socket, and it had all this gunk attached.
It fell on the floor and I couldn't find it, clearly cos I now only had one eye. I seemed to be in a hotel room with my sister who's a nurse and I was begging her to phone an ambulance but she didn't believe me and refused and kept telling me to stop being so dramatic. She then left and I just kept running to the mirror and thinking 'Oh my god I've no eye!'
The next thing in the dream it was the morning, and I looked on the floor and found my eyeball stuck to a piece of paper and all shrivelled so I ran to the bathroom and plopped it in a glass of water to rehydrate it so I could put it back in my eye. Only then did my sister actually believe my eyeball had actually fell out!
I woke up this morning so traumatised I got straight up to check my eyeball was ok and I can't stop thinking about the dream, it was so gross!
Sorry to now have grossed you all out but a problem shared and all that mwahahaha ;)
I dreamt my eyeball fell out. Oh yes.
It went like this. The dream started with me looking in the mirror and my eye seemed to swell and just burst out of it's socket, and it had all this gunk attached.
It fell on the floor and I couldn't find it, clearly cos I now only had one eye. I seemed to be in a hotel room with my sister who's a nurse and I was begging her to phone an ambulance but she didn't believe me and refused and kept telling me to stop being so dramatic. She then left and I just kept running to the mirror and thinking 'Oh my god I've no eye!'
The next thing in the dream it was the morning, and I looked on the floor and found my eyeball stuck to a piece of paper and all shrivelled so I ran to the bathroom and plopped it in a glass of water to rehydrate it so I could put it back in my eye. Only then did my sister actually believe my eyeball had actually fell out!
I woke up this morning so traumatised I got straight up to check my eyeball was ok and I can't stop thinking about the dream, it was so gross!
Sorry to now have grossed you all out but a problem shared and all that mwahahaha ;)
Monday, 8 November 2010
Well hello, it's been a long time....
Goodness me, nearly a year!
I started off the year concentrating on my photography and I started for the second year a Photo a Day project and focussed my blogging on that. Taking an interesting and exciting photo every day is much, much more difficult than it sounds, believe me! I'm not one to just take any old photo, I like every photo I take to be pleasing on the eye and before long, as always, life got in the way and my 365 project fell by the wayside!
Anyway, it's been a busy year. Busy, busy, busy. I train Army Cadets in my spare time and it seems to have taken over my life at certain points this year, and certainly between that and my 'normal' job, there hasn't been a lot of spare time for other things. I love my work in the Army Cadets, it is unbelievably satisfying and a huge amount of fun, but my god is it tiring!
So where am I now? Well, that is a story. On the 14th October I went through my second lot of spinal surgery in the space of 2 years. I spent a very traumatic week in the hospital and am now in recovery at home and likely to be off work until approximately January 2011.
After the last surgery, I put on the guts of 2 stone in weight which is what prompted me to start blogging in the first place. Myself and some friends were going through a health and fitness drive together and began blogging and I realised it's actually pretty fun and have met some great and interesting folk as a result!
I am going to use my recuperation time to do some things I enjoy. I am going to take some photos, as soon as I feel up to it. I am plotting my exercise programme already for when I'm fit enough to begin exercise again and I cannot wait to do some yoga again. I am spending a ludicrous amount of money on clothes (I blame online shopping) which I might share with you over the next few posts :) I am also enjoying cooking now I have a bit more time on my hands and am trying to eat as healthy as I can to avoid putting on all that weight that I did after my last round of surgery!
Phew. Think thats enough for now. If you're still awake, then well done and thanks for reading!!!!
I started off the year concentrating on my photography and I started for the second year a Photo a Day project and focussed my blogging on that. Taking an interesting and exciting photo every day is much, much more difficult than it sounds, believe me! I'm not one to just take any old photo, I like every photo I take to be pleasing on the eye and before long, as always, life got in the way and my 365 project fell by the wayside!
Anyway, it's been a busy year. Busy, busy, busy. I train Army Cadets in my spare time and it seems to have taken over my life at certain points this year, and certainly between that and my 'normal' job, there hasn't been a lot of spare time for other things. I love my work in the Army Cadets, it is unbelievably satisfying and a huge amount of fun, but my god is it tiring!
So where am I now? Well, that is a story. On the 14th October I went through my second lot of spinal surgery in the space of 2 years. I spent a very traumatic week in the hospital and am now in recovery at home and likely to be off work until approximately January 2011.
After the last surgery, I put on the guts of 2 stone in weight which is what prompted me to start blogging in the first place. Myself and some friends were going through a health and fitness drive together and began blogging and I realised it's actually pretty fun and have met some great and interesting folk as a result!
I am going to use my recuperation time to do some things I enjoy. I am going to take some photos, as soon as I feel up to it. I am plotting my exercise programme already for when I'm fit enough to begin exercise again and I cannot wait to do some yoga again. I am spending a ludicrous amount of money on clothes (I blame online shopping) which I might share with you over the next few posts :) I am also enjoying cooking now I have a bit more time on my hands and am trying to eat as healthy as I can to avoid putting on all that weight that I did after my last round of surgery!
Phew. Think thats enough for now. If you're still awake, then well done and thanks for reading!!!!
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