"What have you eaten" Parallel Chat

[debs248]

How do they close a lake? Lakes are quite big, can nobody get close to the lake all winter?

It's on private land so presumably they just lock the access gates.

I bought a tow float when I started regular swims almost two years ago. I haven't used it for about a year now. Still happy I have one for visibility in case I want to swim where ships are, or in case I want to do a longer swim and I need to take some stuff for my diabetes with me.

If I knew I was going to use it more than once I wouldn't mind but this year is going to be very expensive as it is. Would be useful to put my phone in I suppose if nothing else.

Why is the hat required? I've never in my life wore a hat when swimming.

Insurance and safety I guess, so they can see your bobbing head more easily. I had to wear one for school swimming lessons but never since. I don't want to wear one but it may be the only way I get to swim at all.

And why wait for your birthday in february?

Might be easier to persuade someone to help if it's a birthday treat. Even that probably won't be enough. I never get to do something just for me the rest of the year. I'm still waiting for the thing I asked for last birthday (help making a special meal including chocolate mousse - before I was diagnosed...)

If you want to swim, do so!

Finances and disability make that impossible on my own, at least the first time. I haven't swum outdoors, or even left the house by myself, for over 5 years, I don't know if my resistance to cold is still good enough when I'm wet or in autumn/ winter weather. It's fine on dry land in summer (went up Cairngorm in shorts and a t-shirt last week), or indoors in winter, but immersion in cold water adds another layer of chill which may or may not be dangerous. Also it takes me hours to dress and undress which means a delay before rewarming. The lake has disabled toilets but only mentions male/ female changing rooms so I probably can't shower or dress in anything other than t shirt and shorts afterwards. There certainly won't be anywhere to lie down and rest other than the floor.

I don't want to be alone the first time, especially as I'm extremely short sighted and once I take my glasses off, can't focus on anything more than 10-15 cm from my face! Plus it's not an area with much public transport and I don't know if I could manage the journey myself. I certainly wouldn't be safe to drive, I'll probably need to sleep for a few hours as soon as possible afterwards.

If you need someone to go with you, ask a friend or a single family member to go with you tomorrow or next week, no need for them to get into the water if they don't want to.

I've asked my husband and daughter, and they're both trying very hard to pretend I didn't mention it. They're probably hoping I'll forget all about it. I don't have any friends who swim who live locally, and my parents are too ill/ disabled themselves now. My brother might want to but dealing with him is a total nightmare these days. It's his 50th birthday next week so I'll try to casually bring up the subject. I haven't given up on the idea but really can't see a way to make it happen yet.

Daughter goes back to uni next week so it'll be December before I can ask her again. She likes swimming but is a bit of a wuss with the cold and hates having to help me with anything - she's 19 and parents are a total embarrassment at that age anyway, let alone when they're loud, fat and flout fashion/ beauty conventions, use a wheelchair and need help carrying things or getting through doors. Also she doesn't drive. By Easter perhaps she'll be keener, it's warmer and she'll no longer be a teenager! She seems to be maturing gradually.

Today's food is the last of the holiday's butcher's meat (minted lamb ribs and stuffed pork fillet) along with a huge mixing bowl full of homemade Greek salad. Back to more mundane eating next week, after my dad's birthday tea on Monday.

Edit: the lake is reasonably well served by buses as it's near an A road. Still wary about attempting such an adventure solo, there are just so many things that could go wrong. I suppose if I get stuck I could ring hubby to pick me up, he can hardly refuse *that*. (I've not had success yet trying to book a wheelchair accessible taxi). Assuming we still have a working car, which isn't a given after next Saturday.

 

[Antje77]

Too bad you don't live closer @debs248 , I'd be happy to go swimming together.
If you can make it happen with someone at some point, what about not bothering with slowly getting dressed after the swim but wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket in the car, and get dressed at your leisure, at home?

Today I had a cheesy leek and celeriac soup on the bridge, with lots of little meatballs.



This morning I started my day with a magical swim, my swimming spot looked like a fairy tale!

 

[debs248]

Thank you @Antje77 I'm sure we'd have fun I've been a bit tearful today after WhatsApping an old friend from my teens and remembering my old life. I thought I was resigned to my new circumstances but I'm obviously still grieving deep down. Probably triggered by the holiday, I've had a taste of life outside these 4 walls and I'm greedy for more!

Can't believe how quickly the greek salad disappeared today - hubby and daughter ate about a quarter each which is unprecedented, I was expecting to have 2/3 of it for myself. Another sign she's maturing, she picked out the largest cubes of feta and ate the rest (previously I had to make a separate batch without it). She (and I) ate some celery on holiday instead of picking it out of a salad as well

Have just eaten some Wigmore cheese we brought back. Very like a Brie but it's made from sheep's milk so a bit sweeter and saltier. I wish I could get hold of some "squeaky cheese" (queso blanco from Southern Spain) that I used to love on childhood holidays in Gib but it doesn't travel as it's so soft and fresh.

 

[Antje77]

This picture should have gone with my previous post, and to be honest I thought nothing had posted before closing the laptop on the bridge.
It was beautiful, and hopefully it will be again tomorrow morning!

I almost missed my swim this morning. Right when I was in my bathing gown next to my car, ready to get in the water, a car parked next to mine.
I asked the young man if he was going for a walk or...
No, he was planning to go fishing right there.

So I asked him if he'd mind looking the other way while I got in and out of the water, I didn't have enough time to do the bathing suit thing before work.
He was all cool, so no problem.

 

[Annb]

Breakfast: a kind of chopped salad with some ham and some cottage cheese. Coffee.

2nd meal will be one of the big pots of soup I have in the big freezer. There must be at least 6 litres of different soups there. I made it in advance for some lunchtime gatherings we were having, but everyone became too busy so they just petered out. So I'm left with all that soup to use up. One, I will have to leave meantime - tomato and lentil. I'm still not ready to try lentils again, but it will keep. I think there's about 2 litres of that. Can't remember what the rest are - probably another 2 litres of c***-a-leekie, but what else, I just can't remember. Makes life a bit more interesting.

 

[jpscloud]

Had a day out with friends yesterday, Thai meal (I had green curry with rice) then a short amble around a reservoir and some duck, goose and swan feeding - then a naughty ice cream!

It's an odd day weather wise - one of those days when it's not raining but as soon as you decide to go and do something in the garden, it chucks it down. Weather forecasting is so much more accurate these days but the band of rain might, or might not, clip us here. I'm going to go and try anyway! I'm clearing out the mini polytunnel over then next few days so I can always duck in there if it does rain on me.

I'm very, very tempted to keep a few chickens. I've been talking myself out of it for a couple of years now, but I'm not sure I can resist much longer. The setup might have to be my Christmas and next year birthday present to myself! It will need some very careful planning.

 

[shelley262]

Awful torrential rain here for much of the morning yesterday not a pleasant day for driving but luckily youngest son managed to get here from Wales despite lots of surface water. Luckily the weather cleared up nicely by mid afternoon so was able to put his weight lifting training into practice to move a few heavy pots from a high level of our different levels garden to a more sheltered lower level including the heavy pot with large magnolia in, which was looking a bit unhappy where it was. Crossing fingers it prefers its more sheltered position. I also fed him a good piece of local beef - a steak. He has been vegetarian for a fair few years and a frequent blood donor but has developed anaemia so he's working on changing his diet to a more mixed higher protein one.
So lovely to see him and give him a hug. We also managed to spend some time with our eldest son who has lots of health challenges and autism and was not at his best this weekend but really benefits from seeing his younger brother.

 

[Annb]

!*!*!*!* I just had a whole load keyed in and it just disappeared on me. I should have known better - this has happened before and I decided then not to key in on the forum page, but onto a word processor which, at least will let me undo anything I press accidentally. So, I'm off to do just that.

Here it is:
I had some Greek yoghurt with a few strawberries for breakfast but I was hungry after it so I hunted for something more. I only had the small kitchen fridge to search through because my legs and back just weren’t up to struggling through to the back porch to the big fridge.

I found, 3 cooked sausages, some cheddar, some vegan soft cheese, some bacon, and some milk. It all needed cooking, or finding something to go with it, apart from the cold sausages. So that was the 2nd part of my breakfast.

2nd meal will be what I call Ayrshire broth. It was in the big freezer and is currently in the big fridge, having defrosted yesterday. It was my MIL’s recipe but she just called it “Broth”. If I can’t get out to the fridge, Neil can bring it through for me.

Alistair has an appointment in Glasgow on Wednesday for an MRI scan to see if anything can be done about the pain in his neck, shoulders and arms. At least then, we will know what he is dealing with.

 

[Zhnyaka]

I've asked my husband and daughter, and they're both trying very hard to pretend I didn't mention it. They're probably hoping I'll forget all about it. I don't have any friends who swim who live locally, and my parents are too ill/ disabled themselves now.

maybe you should look for a company in Facebook groups in your area? Perhaps someone also wants to swim and is looking for company. You can also make new friends.

 

[shelley262]

!*!*!*!* I just had a whole load keyed in and it just disappeared on me. I should have known better - this has happened before and I decided then not to key in on the forum page, but onto a word processor which, at least will let me undo anything I press accidentally. So, I'm off to do just that.

Here it is:
I had some Greek yoghurt with a few strawberries for breakfast but I was hungry after it so I hunted for something more. I only had the small kitchen fridge to search through because my legs and back just weren’t up to struggling through to the back porch to the big fridge.

I found, 3 cooked sausages, some cheddar, some vegan soft cheese, some bacon, and some milk. It all needed cooking, or finding something to go with it, apart from the cold sausages. So that was the 2nd part of my breakfast.

2nd meal will be what I call Ayrshire broth. It was in the big freezer and is currently in the big fridge, having defrosted yesterday. It was my MIL’s recipe but she just called it “Broth”. If I can’t get out to the fridge, Neil can bring it through for me.

Alistair has an appointment in Glasgow on Wednesday for an MRI scan to see if anything can be done about the pain in his neck, shoulders and arms. At least then, we will know what he is dealing with.

Wishing Alistair good luck for Wednesday's scan and hope he gets some answers that help to diagnose whats happening and manage or treat his pain.

 

[jpscloud]

I have had a lazy day here, but I enjoyed it!

Breakfast was 3 scrambled eggs and a crumpet - wait, isn't that a film title?

Tea was mashed swede and carrot with shredded gammon steak, cauliflower and runner beans. I always feel sad when I no longer look forward to eating runner beans but there just comes a time when you've had enough! There are still quite a lot coming so I'll take a load to family on Weds and I think I have enough in the freezer now, then allow the rest to finish turning into larger shelled beans which are still appealing to eat.

 

[Antje77]

I always feel sad when I no longer look forward to eating runner beans but there just comes a time when you've had enough! There are still quite a lot coming so I'll take a load to family on Weds and I think I have enough in the freezer now, then allow the rest to finish turning into larger shelled beans which are still appealing to eat.

I didn't even know that runner beans turned into beans to be shelled if you let them grow longer! (I buy my runner beans and all other veggies from the supermarket, and sometimes from a roadside seller with a box to put your money in. No talent for growing stuff myself at all.)

I love runner beans with butter and salt, with various cheeses, with bacon, but I particularly like eating them like asparagus with mashed hard boiled eggs with butter.

 

[jpscloud]

I didn't even know that runner beans turned into beans to be shelled if you let them grow longer!

Yes they are really tasty but this variety is not a good return for your effort in terms of the amount you get for eating compared to the immature pods.

 

[Annb]

Breakfast: chicken mayo and a few bits of roasted mini cauliflower florets with cheese melted onto them. I made them as a snack, but used them to fill in a gap after breakfast. Coffee.

2nd meal will be a chopped salad with some ham and some chicken chopped in.

BG started off in the 4's and, after breakfast and 3rd coffee, rose to the 6's. Still only using basal insulin.

 

[Annb]

Breakfast was cauliflower and cheese bits. I did make them for snacking on, but I just had a fair amount (no willpower) so that will have to be breakfast. Coffee.

2nd meal cold chicken and salad.

 

[jpscloud]

Another lunch out yesterday! As I was setting out early to take a parcel to return, I caught my foot on the door sill and fell awkwardly, twisting my knee. It's sprained and painful but not serious, I can walk and drive but if I try to turn my knee it's very painful, so sleeping was a bit difficult last night as I'm a side sleeper. I'm very grateful it's not worse though!

We had three courses at lunch so I didn't feel like any tea, I just had a few walnut halves and some dried cranberries which I allowed myself to have because I was feeling so sorry for myself

 

[Antje77]

twisting my knee. It's sprained and painful but not serious, I can walk and drive but if I try to turn my knee it's very painful, so sleeping was a bit difficult last night as I'm a side sleeper.

Outch!
A thin pillow between your knees of under your feet may make sleeping a little more comfortable.

 

[Annb]

Another lunch out yesterday! As I was setting out early to take a parcel to return, I caught my foot on the door sill and fell awkwardly, twisting my knee. It's sprained and painful but not serious, I can walk and drive but if I try to turn my knee it's very painful, so sleeping was a bit difficult last night as I'm a side sleeper. I'm very grateful it's not worse though!

We had three courses at lunch so I didn't feel like any tea, I just had a few walnut halves and some dried cranberries which I allowed myself to have because I was feeling so sorry for myself

I feel your pain. As you say, sleeping on your side can make these kind of injuries problematic. As Antje said, a thin pillow between your knees and your feet might help. It has to be thin though, a plump pillow can be as bad as none. I hope it heals soon and you can get some rest.

 

[jpscloud]

Outch!
A thin pillow between your knees of under your feet may make sleeping a little more comfortable.

I feel your pain. As you say, sleeping on your side can make these kind of injuries problematic. As Antje said, a thin pillow between your knees and your feet might help. It has to be thin though, a plump pillow can be as bad as none. I hope it heals soon and you can get some rest.

Thanks both! That is a really good idea, I do have a thin pillow type thing, it's in a set that you can make into a profiling positioner for sleeping. The whole thing is good when my back plays up, and I absolutely have to sleep on my back, but the part I'm thinking of should let me sleep on my side.

I think it's going to take a while to heal, and it's frustrating because there are sunny spells when I need to be doing jobs in the garden, but I daren't do them with this injury because if I turn just wrong the pain is excruciating and I could fall again.

At least I did get the composting area finished, I'm very pleased with that.

Breakfast was 3 scrambled eggs and half a small roll with a little sprinkling of shredded gammon. Tea was cauliflower cheese with the rest of the gammon and a medium potato.

 

[Annb]

Breakfast was just some slices of cold chicken. I was in a bit of a rush because I had a diabetic eye test before my leg bandaging appointment so had to leave an hour earlier than usual.

2nd meal will be salmon with some salad bits and pieces.

I got the coffee and walnut cake finished for DIL but I rather misjudged how much of the mix I needed for the larger cake tins I was using. I just doubled the quantities and ended up with too much mixture. There was enough for another small cake, so she has two for the price of one (not bad, considering that the one is free anyway).

There’s something odd going on with this PC. I keyed in this message in a Word Processor - because I keep losing posts and, at least with a word processed document I can undo the last action and not lose everything I’ve already done. Well, that didn’t work today. I was posting to another thread and 3 paragraphs disappeared on me from the word processor, which shut itself down and lost everything. Aaargh!

On this thread, it took everything from the other thread and pasted it into this one. I am now using a word processor, saving frequently and trying to keep it under control. It has to be this PC, not the website. Now to copy and paste.