Tuesday 15 February 2011

Polar un-bear-able

Not quite the weekend away I had planned in my head. My friend’s house is up what passes for a hill in Suffolk (nope, not for you Lesley), right by the beach, large, detached and mostly window. It’s stunning. It’s also cold. Especially when it’s been empty for a couple of weeks. And especially with no central heating. Yep, you read that right. On Friday night I had to sleep in a bobble hat (amongst other garments). And even then, I only made it through the night without turning into the human equivalent of a frozen pizza because E’s spare bed has the sort of newfangled electric blankets that you can pre-heat and then leave on all night. We briefly got the boiler alight on Saturday but it went off again some time later that day. Sunday was cold. The weather was grey and threatening – we managed a 8 ¾ mile walk and a 5 ½ mile walk. The sun came out on Monday as we were leaving to go home!

Bf rigged up our little greenhouse heater from the tinhut (bought in a vain effort to keep the pipes from freezing. In blithe contravention of all dire warnings from the Health and Safety police, he put it in the bathroom as the thought of not being able to wash my hair for days reduced me almost to tears. Bf claims that those rules are only for stupid people who would think it perfectly acceptable to put something electrical in or on a bath.... Well, I lived to tell the tale.

This morning I was in my cycle gear, about to leave home when I saw the forecast for London (the Today programme’s weather only covered Scotland. Usefully). I took it all off and got in the shower – I am a fair weather cyclist. It’s raining hard now and that makes the roads slippery and drivers drive faster (odd since they’re in the warm and dry in any case).

I consulted SoD today in any case, fearing that a meal out would have sent the dial soaring in reproof, but needing to know the worst ahead of the weight attracting cycling. I am now Porky.12. Yes, that’s right – in direct contravention to all accepted scientific wisdom, SoD declares that no cycling + more food = more weight loss. Of course, this isn’t official WI which is on Friday and bizarrely I am usually lightest on a Monday (I always use some of my weekly point allocation at the weekend – chocolate and wine usually) which I find mind bogglingly incomprehensible. Seriously, if I just extrapolated from my results, I’d be chowing down and keeping away from all forms of exertion. That just can’t be right, can it?

PS Thanks for all the comments – really appreciate the words of wisdom. And, Gabby? That is SO me; I secretly feel too old and too fat to be a bride and as if I should apologise (to radiant 24 year olds? To purveyors of bridal merchandise who are used to radiant 24 year olds?) for my temerity in thinking I could be one. Not much I can do about the old bit, but especially given that I want either a second hand or sample dress for budget reasons, I do need to be at least a size 12. I am gibbering in fear just writing that! I still haven’t shed the festive blubber and it will soon be 2 months since Christmas. So quick on, so slow off.

2 comments:

Lesley said...

Rather nice pre-owned wedfing dress shop just opened in my village. Tell me what style you're after and I'll check it out....send pics....Lesley x x

Gabby said...

Wow, size 12 is tiny! (in my view). Just make sure you don't put too much pressure on yourself, or you'll lose sight of the great progress you are making.

By the way, I think you are far more the norm these days - who gets married at 24? That's weird, and their (probably tacky) opinion shouldn't matter to you at all.

Well done on the weight loss. I never think it correlates to how you've been the previous week... but in the grander scheme of things, extended periods of virtuousness will be reflected in a steady downwards trajectory, regardless of the angle of descent.