3 more lbs gone!

Lost another 3 pounds this week! Two more days of the harsh part of the diet but hoping the loss continues at this rate. Fingers crossed!

In the right direction...

One week in to the new attempt at the low-carb, GI diet and I have managed to lose 4 lbs! Doesn't seem much compared to the amount I need to lose but it is in the right direction and with a bit more enthusiasm on the exercise front I could probably improve that next week. I really need to get fit ready for Race for Life anyway. Although I am going to walk most of it - I don't want to be the last one going round the track at dusk! Memories of school sports days and Brownie swimming galas come flooding back at the thought :0)
One more week of absolutely no carbs, sugar, fruit or alcohol and then I can start having some of these things back in moderation - yay! Who would have thought I would be looking forward to being able to have porridge again...

Funding approved!

Just a quick note to say that I have finally been granted funding by college to do my MA top-up course! This is great news as, although I had started doing some research, I had not until now been given confirmation that I wouldn't be paying the £2,000 fees myself!
I've also had news that the driving instructor I want to take lessons with now has space on their books so will be booking my first lessons in the next week!
Exciting times ahead :0)

Thank you everyone x

After several reminders from people that I should update this more often, this is an update on progress so far!
I am chuffed to bits to be able to say that thanks to the generosity of my lovely family and friends I have reached my target of £100 fundraising money for the Race for Life. This is a fantastic incentive for the big day itself. Joining Mum and I will now be my friend Mizue and one of my students (the lovely Hannah Harris) is also doing the race at Lister Park in memory of her Mum. Looks like it is going to be a great day.
My MA research also got another boost recently as the papers have been full of comment about the new Specialised Diplomas - the subject of my dissertation - and I've also now been trained as a Trainer (how weird does that sound) for the qualifications too. Not only will that bring more work my way (is that something I really want?) but also gives me much more opportunity to meet up with those delivering the qualification in the near future.
Apart from all that life is pretty hectic, with college and EdexHell work. However, I am managing to find the time to feed a new obsession - World of Warcraft! Check out the portrait of my alter-ego Strella - a Troll Shaman. Do you like my mohican?

Prague Adventure

The last few weeks have bought times of exciting developments and adventure, as well as some times of reflection and relaxation. It has been a good break but I just don't want to go back to work tomorrow!
I've visited my first 'new' country on a break in Prague in the Czech Republic. It was amazing! Beautiful, inspiring and unique - it is a city I would recommend anyone visit. Awesome architecture at every turn, fantastic places to eat and drink and cheap, easy-to-use public transport. The beer was particularly good (although not very friendly to the waistline!). It is the perfect place for a holiday.
It was incredibly cold, but that was a good excuse to hide in some lovely bars and cafe's. Unfortunately, Moira had her purse stolen on the first day which was annoying to say the least, but it did mean I got to visit a Czech Police station and meet the particularly hunky interpreter who worked there! The guidebooks had warned us that in general service could be quite abrupt (as a distant attitude is seen as more professional) but the staff at our hotel were downright rude.
However, it says a lot about the magic of Prague that none of this dampened the excitement of the experience at all. Best of all was the feeling of being somewhere new, somewhere alien to my previous experience. The travel bug has bitten me hard and only fired up my urge to see more of the world.

My photos can be seen on my flickr here. I recommend you view them as a slideshow - if you can be bothered :0)

On my return (as well as a lovely clean house - thanks to my Mum) I found my provisional driving license had arrived in the post. Hooray! Been looking at Driving Schools and hope to book my first lessons for the week after next as I have a horribly busy week back at college when I return. Bit nervous but can't wait.

Getting Better

Thanks to everyone wishing so hard (and my clever Doctor's diagnosis) I am now almost all better. I still have 3 days of anti-biotics
to go but throat is not painful anymore and I am eating big-girls'
grown up dinners now. I never thought I would be sick of the sight of
ice-cream but I well and truly am. Still have some pretty strange
shooting pains going up my face every now and then but I have decided
to take the highly scientific approach of pretending they aren't there
in the hope that they will go away. Moira is still pretty poorly, but is as determined as I to get cracking with our adventure.
I have been packing and re-packing (each time I change my mind about outfits and shoes) for Prague and getting very excited. Just cannot wait to get there now! The weather is predicted to be around 4 degrees Celsius with snow showers on one of the days we are to be there so I am wrapping up very, very well. Expect many a photograph of me with my glamorous ear muffs and 300 scarves on when I return :0)

Poorly Girl

I have severe tonsillitis (which I thought only under 10's got, but I
am clearly wrong). Feeling sorry for myself but more importantly
worried as I am due to fly to Prague on Monday for the first visit to a
'new' country! I would like everyone reading this to wish very, very
hard that my tonsils will have returned to somewhere near normal size
before Monday. At the moment I can't eat anything except cold soup,
fruit juice and ice-cream (not helping the diet) which could cause
problems and if I am still in pain it will dampen the adventure
somewhat.
So wish hard please! If you have any wishing left please
also wish that my friend Moira, who is going to Prague with me,
recovers from her virus by then too!