Author Archives: claire

100 Days without Sugar – 35 to go

New newbies be reading and stuff here; Our heroine had successfully battled her way out of the giant cardboard box she was erroneously posted in, but has  left herself with a thousand  paper cuts.  Shocked at the shocking state of her, she resolves to do without sugar for 100 days.

And that you all should hear about it, you quixotic cray-cray people.

Now read on…

Tuesday 15th July 2014

I. Am. Starving! How do people do it, how did I ever do this? I wanna sweet things. I do, I want biscuits and cake that has that gooey centre that is enough to make you put up with Glados in Portal*, I want biscuits that are too big for your mouth, I  want ice cream sundaes with sprinkles and chopped nuts on top and I want pipped cream with buttons and … I think I want this! (Just imagine this isn’t that muck but made with decent cream, and you’ve pretty much got it. I blame my childhood in front of the TV. Bah!)

 

 

*Try listening to this song and not finding it catchy.

100 Days without sugar – 36 Days to go

New newbies be reading and stuff here; Our heroine had successfully battled her way out of the giant cardboard box she was erroneously posted in, but has  left herself with a thousand  paper cuts.  Shocked at the shocking state of her, she resolves to do without sugar for 100 days.

And that you all should hear about it, you quixotic cray-cray people.

Now read on…

Monday 14th July 2014

The gritty streets of Dublin. I know these streets. I’ve walked these streets. I know this city’s mood, how it operates. That is the kind of person I am, the hard boiled, battle weary blogger you have come to know so well.  So get comfy, folks. This tale ain’t pretty and it ain’t all nice.

A hand goes up from the audience:

Excuse me? What is this?

Um…

We all know who you are and what you do. The only thing gritty about you is your poorly creamed scones.  Get on with it!

Oh, all right. So indeed there is less likeihood of me being hardboiled then there is of an egg in a poorly run B&B in Torquay, so I may as well revert back to normality. Which is that that all things are normal. I managed to go for a run this weekend on Sunday, which is nice because it will make up for the scones and cream I scoffed on Saturday. Swings and roundabouts people. I managed to continue the swimming this morning and received a drink of water from the lifeguard, which means either I am so impressive that he got me water in support or that I am so unimpressive that he got me water in concern. More likely that he was just being nice, and was bored, it’s pretty quiet in there right now.

I aim to have not one but two days without carbs this week, as well as going without sugar. I’m not sure I will be able to stand it. You will no doubt be full of support, and not post pictures of cake, or anything? Would hate to have that to look at.

100 Days without sugar – 39 Days to go

New newbies be reading and stuff here; Our heroine had successfully battled her way out of the jungle, but has slowly eased herself over a waterfall. Shocked at the shocking state of her, she resolves to do without sugar for 100 days.

And that you all should hear about it, you random chance delightful vanilla favoring people.

Now read on…

Friday 11th July 2014

So, yesterday. Zero carb day. It wasn’t great, by any means. For one thing, I will need to be providing myself with something else to eat. Think about it, when there is no chance of any sugar, and no wheat, there isn’t much left that can be called a snack. Peanuts. Cheese. One thing I used to eat was Mascapone cheese sweetened, as it did silence the raging beast within. Will have to get some in.

I noticed again an angry woman I’ve been seeing on my way to work each morning. The bus I take stops at a particular stop that she waits at each morning. She is always there, arms folded, furious. I noticed how her chin will jut out and her shoulders give a micro-shrug as she stands there, eyes looking at something in the distance. She’s arguing with someone in her head, some person that she combated with the night before over the spaghetti ragu or the duvet cover, some soul who she takes with her each day and continues the argument. She is only slightly aware of what she doing, where she is, when she is standing there, and she is going over each word said, each word she might have said, while standing at the bus stop. Short pink padded coat, cut at the hip, with arms folded over in defiance. I don’t see her every morning, but when I do, she is always angry.

I wonder why we do that to ourselves. I don’t have any firm or clear faith but I have heard that hell is where we send ourselves; that if we could only open the prison of our repeated expectations of consciousness, we would be free from the pain we have placed on ourselves. It is patronising on my part, but I look at her and am reminded of that. I see in her my own tendency to have the same argument, to have the same expectations, and wonder what it would take for her to see what she is going. And what it would take for me to do the same.

Anyways. Happy Friday, people.

100 Days without Sugar – 40 exciting days to go.

New newbies be reading and stuff here; Our heroine had successfully battled her way out of the jungle, but has slowly eased herself over a waterfall. Shocked at the shocking state of her, she resolves to do without sugar for 100 days.

And that you all should hear about it, you random chance delightful vanilla favoring people.

Now read on…

I think I will give this zero carb thing a go. But I will try for one day this week, and then two for next week.

So, no carbs.

That means

  • No wheat
  • No rice
  • No pasta
  • No bread
  • No crackers
  • No potatoes
  • No anything, really.

So that pretty much leaves me with my arms swinging when it comes to food. Between that and no sugar, fairly quiet around here.

This is actually a gif. Just a really boring one.

So, other than seeing the trailer for The Giver, I’ve very little to report. And how are you?

100 Days without sugar – 43 days to go….

7th July 2014: Hello shoppers! Guess what I’m talking about!!!
The Cake Man (with apologies to Yeats)
Maybe a million years since
Suddenly I began,
This fubbing diet,
Imagining a cake,
With a fruit covered sprinkled face
And chocolate soft sponge perfection,
Sitting on a pedestal
Where desire is met with pastry,
And the down turn of a wrist
Brings the folk flying up to the cream—
A cake that does not exist,
A cake that is but a dream;
And cried, “Before I am gone mad
I shall have eaten one
Cake maybe as large
And perfect as my head.”
cake animated GIF
Nyomie nyom nyom nyom….

100 Days without Sugar – 54 Exciting Days to Go!

New newers be doing something here; Our heroine had successfully lost over 60 lbs, but has slowly gained back a stone. Shocked at the shocking state of her, she resolves to do without sugar for 100 days.

And that you all should hear about it, you random chance favoring people.

Now read on…

Thursday 26 June 2014: I’ve been sick one way or another for most of this week. A flu-like stomach bug hit me on Sunday and I have only really recovered since yesterday. And when I say recovered, I mean it has now become a wet-nosed cold.

Like this fella.

I managed to keep the swims up bar this morning, as I can feel the cold moving to my chest and just didn’t need to add to that. But I’m here, I’m alive, all is well.

Speaking of all is well, can I direct you to the marvellous news? Re Susan Lanigan, the brilliant and marvellous and brave Susan? You can order it on Amazon, you know. Gwan gwan gwan, do. Be your best friend!

 

100 Days without sugar – 60 days to go

New starters reading here; Our heroine had successfully lost over 60 lbs, but has slowly gained back a stone. Shocked at the shocking state of her, she resolves to do without sugar for 100 days.

And that you all should hear about it, you lucky starlight shiny people.

Now read on…

Friday 20th June 2014 – so yes, I fell off the sugar wagon (is there such a thing) while out to dinner on Wednesday. I had what was called a Nutella cheesecake. The first bite was heaven, the second was good and by the time I finished it, I found it too stodgy and rich. But of course I did finish it. If you’re given a plate of food, you finish it.

“I own y’all, bitches.”

I was back in the pool Thursday. I didn’t want to be there, I was tired, fed up with myself, etc. When a voice of reason I seemed to have from goodness knows where popped into my head.

“Don’t decide if you can. See if you can.”

It is actually very good advice, and not just for moments like that. It could be applied to a lot of life. Well, that seemed to do it. I finished up with the usual sprint at 40 seconds, and got on with the day. Same with today, finished with a sprint, and am now at my desk about to start the day.

One thing, though. I am boring myself with all this whining. It is not as though sugar is that fascinating a subject to begin with, and here I am going on and on about it. And there are another sixty days to go (you can see me breaking out with my Miss Personality Blogpost).

I’m at my desk, I’m going to get this day started and I’m going to come up with more interesting things to think about, and talk about, then sugar. So go me. tummy rumbles.

Judging for Miss Personality…

is ongoing.

90345308

Noeline Blackwell (FLAC), Susan Denham, Chief Justice, Mary McAleesse, Emily O’Reilly Ombudsman

Look at them there now, aren’t they lovely. Noeline Blackwell, Director General of FLAC, is interested in cooking and sewing, and thinks that all Lindsey Lohan needs is a good man. “It is what has kept me on the straight and narrow,” said the human rights campaigner and advocate. “Maths is hard!”

Beside her, daring in black tights, is Susan Denham. A controversial choice for the competition, as some thought her sub-judis decisions might hold her back, Susan looked resplendent in the clothes made of intellect and self respect. “We are off to the Canaries if I win,” said the ground breaking barrister. “I hope the boys like my bikini!”

Former President of Ireland Mary McAleese is busy working on her knitting skills. “My family do seem to enjoy my domestic side, and lets face it, a life outside the home is hard to organise!” The noted agent of peace in the north went on to say that “If it wasn’t for my husband I’d be lost. Wouldn’t we all!”

And last but not least, Emily O’Reilly, whose work has shown time and time again that the institutions of the mostly male-led state are just brilliant and require no change, is eager to show her soft side. “I’m just a little girl looking for love,” she giggled. “I for one am delighted at the opportunity Miss Personality has provided me, to show that I am a fully rounded female. Hurrah!”

At the time of writing, the award for Miss Personality was given to the one with the biggest tits.

100 Days without sugar – 65 to go

New starters reading here; Our heroine had successfully lost over 60 lbs, but has slowly gained back a stone. Shocked at the shocking state of her, she resolves to do without sugar for 100 days.

And that you all should hear about it, you lucky starlight shiny people.

Now read on…

Monday, 16 June: Ah, the excitement that is Monday. Surely you all know by now, in my off hours I fight International crime. I use a mixture of brains, feminine guile and mime to fend off evil criminal masterminds, all while keeping my hair perfect.

See?

In truth I decided the best thing I could do was get the housework done and play with the little man, and that’s what I did. And now I’m back in pesky reality.

So today I’m back in the pool and back at the desk, and pretty much getting things done.  I think that I’m going to have to go down the road of giving up carbs if I really want this weight loss thing to happen. Sometimes, you just have to make the sacrifice to get the result.

Wadda think? Should I?