Great Interest and Dynamic Growth - It Has Risen and Flowered.

My wife, Carole, came in with this photo on her mobile phone. She had planted a Clematis plant in the spring and it has been gradually creeping up and along the fence. 

I never realised how vibrant and pretty the flower was. I had become impatient with her continuing to say, "It will flower around September time."

Well, it never and I lost interest.

Then she came in this morning with this on her mobile camera. I went out to take a look and was amazed by the yellow array growing out the front of the purple flower. It looks like an ariel or antenna. What is it for? I have no idea. Though, I suppose it has some purpose. It does give it an added appeal.

We had a look at other flowers within the bed and I realised that as the autumn kicks in, the garden will wither and hide for the winter. The bleak Fenland, where the fields were alive with various crops, will become ploughed dirt. These fields will sit out the winter through the snow and sleet.

Then the spring will come and everything starts to blossom with new promise. We love the Fenland and we will add to our garden's growing delights when that particular season comes around again. The Nursery Gardens are in abundance around here and we have bought more wildflower seeds for the greenhouse. This is in case our ducks get to them before they get a chance to grow in the flower beds.

I'M SO PLEASED MY DIET IS GOING WONDERFULLY WELL!

I have stuck to my decision to cut out all snacks like crisps, chocolate and Ice Cream. That did not mean anything too drastic. I just stopped eating crisps in front of the TV at night. I don't eat at all when retiring to watch TV. I have tea and coffee, but that's it.

I was 15 stone 6 pounds and now I'm 13 stone 12 pounds. It is a slow weight loss and has been more about changing my eating habits. I've concentrated on the regular diet intake plan as recommended by a dietician. Fortunately, they are free with UK NHS. I see her every 6 weeks and she weighs me and asks about food consumption etc. I need to get to 11 stone 7 pounds for my height.

To be fair, I would settle for around 12 stone. I have started to feel better as I move about in work. I have also taken smaller lunch boxes with one bap cut into two plus an orange and a plum or something similar. This I eat at around 12 to 12.30. When I go home after work, I have a small dinner followed by fruit salad and a splash of yoghurt.  

I've been trying a variety of different things too. I have to say that I'm enjoying meals better and it feels as though my taste buds are improving. When I do my shoe laces up, I've noticed it's not the laborious task I had become used to.

As I fall into the pattern, I've noticed that the weight loss seems to occur at night. I think it is when sleeping. Obviously when one gets up and goes to the bathroom to do what all blokes do. Well... that's when I get on the scales. Usually, I'm delighted to see a pound gone here and there. Steadily I'm losing weight. 

Sometimes there is the odd day when you indulge. For instance, last week I went to see my Dad and stayed overnight. We went to his club in the evening and I drank five pints of stout Guinness. This is way above alcohol consumption level. But then, I rarely drink for the rest of the month.

In no time, I'm back in the programme and all seems still on course for further weight loss.

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Feeling Much Better and the Wildlife is Helping BIG TIME!!!

My wife, Carole, has had a wee bit of a cold over the past few days. Her appetite had gone and her back was aching. She felt lethargic too. I was beginning to worry because she rarely gets ill.

We both went to bed early last night because I get up at 04.30 to go to work. I slept like a log. Fortunately, my body clock always wakes me before the alarm goes off. Therefore, I am able to get up without waking Carole.

This done, I went to the shower and put on my work clothes. I heard the bedroom door open and out came dotty dog Dotty wagging her tail excitedly. To my delight, Carole followed looking bleary-eyed still, but wearing a smile.

I made her a cup of black coffee. She only drinks strong black coffee. She sat down and the cobwebs gradually cleared away.

I asked how she felt and she replied that she was feeling considerably better.

Outside it was still dark with a wonderful clear star filled sky. We chatted to each other for a bit when I went in to continue getting ready for work. The sensor light went on by the carport and I heard Carole woop with pleasure.

"Colin!" she called. "Get the camera quick!"

With great aplomb, I sprang into action. I was out by her side and saw a small hedgehog by the back door going to the back garden. It had frozen and curled up. It had caused the sensor light to go on as it was scurrying through the carport to the sliding door, leading to the back garden.

I tried to get a photo shot. However, because I had left the 300m lens on and the little hedgehog was so close, I could not focus. I looked down at the camera and the next thing I knew; the little hedgehog was off. I was much more nimble than I expected.

We went into the garden, which is rather wide, with lots of scattered shrubs. In the darkness, we could find nothing. Carole had a small torch and was sweeping the area to no avail. It was dotty dog Dotty who found the little urchin amid the strawberry plants.

"Use your mobile phone camera," said Carole.

I did and got some nice shots of the little creature. There are three hedgehogs that come into our garden and this is the middle sized one.

I went off to work while Carole went back to bed for a few hours more. When Carole got up again; she decided to take dotty dog Dotty for a walk and saw a dazzling sight. Two magpies were harassing a kestrel.

The kestrel, under duress, started to make high pitched screeches. This caused Dotty to start barking. The magpies managed to get a hold of the kestrel as it went to the ground. Here it was pinned down and in a desperate state.

But then, to Carole's surprise, two more kestrels appeared. They immediately started swooping at the two magpies who were, in turn, harassed off by the nimble swooping of the two fellow bird of prey friends.

When I got home from work, Carole was full of excitement about the whole episode, during the morning dog walk. I was pleased to see that the Fenland wildlife had brought her spirits back up. Especially when the kestrel managed to get away from the magpies. She was giggling because her mobile phone flap fell over the lens as she was trying to control over excited Dotty and get things together for a photo. By the time she had sorted herself out, the whole episode was over. Never mind - better luck next time. I was just pleased that Carole was back to her normal self.

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Does the Odd Photo Bring Nostalgic Memories Out of You?

East London in the 1960s

Wow! This photo is so wonderful. As a kid, I grew up here and that is how I remember Poplar. I keep thinking of lines from an Al Stewart song.

"In the island where I grew up, nothing seems the same,

Still, you never see the change from day to day. 

No one notices the customs slip away."

Of course, this area is not an island, but the words have a certain poignant meaning to them that I find gratifying. Change has to happen, I suppose, but I would dearly love to walk around those streets again, as they were then.

I know it is nostalgia because, even as a small boy, I had a yearning desire not to stay in the city of London. I got out into the rural areas and was glad of it. But I do like the odd trip down memory lane now and then. I think of my old school, my late grandparents, old neighbours etc. 

This is a very fine photo. A very fine photo indeed.

Lee Cox Lands A Rather Large Common Carp Named, Spike.

Carole's son loves carp fishing and so does my son Lloyd. I often marvel at some of the fish Lloyd has caught. I once saw him land a large carp and the ranger photographed and put it in the papers.

However, I could not help being amazed by this Common Carp that Carole's son (stepson) Lee, caught. It likes like a monster and the mind boggles at attempting to land such a fine fish.

When I was younger and at school, I often went fishing with my friends. We caught Roach, Rudd, Gudgeon, Perch etc. I did catch the odd Crucian Carp and a few Tench. I never got anywhere near this level.

One must certainly have the patience to wait for these specimens to take the bait. Well done is all I can say. Oh, and I'm a little jealous too. Lol :D

The Carp's name is Spike and he is over 42lb.

Lee Cox Lands A Rather Large Common Carp Named, Spike.

Carole's son loves carp fishing and so does my son Lloyd. I often marvel at some of the fish Lloyd has caught. I once saw him land a large carp and the ranger photographed and put it in the papers.

However, I could not help being amazed by this Common Carp that Carole's son (stepson) Lee, caught. It likes like a monster and the mind boggles at attempting to land such a fine fish.

When I was younger and at school, I often went fishing with my friends. We caught Roach, Rudd, Gudgeon, Perch etc. I did catch the odd Crucian Carp and a few Tench. I never got anywhere near this level.

One must certainly have the patience to wait for these specimens to take the bait. Well done is all I can say. Oh, and I'm a little jealous too. Lol :D

The Carp's name is Spike and he is over 42lb.

Do You Believe in Cutting Out the Snacks and Sauces for a Nice Fruit Salad.

Do You Believe in Cutting Out the Snacks and Sauces for a Nice Fruit Salad?

At work, when the local health visitors came, we had the regular blood test done checking for cholesterol levels and obeseness. I was diplomatically told that I had a 8% chance of a stroke and at 55 I had the body of a 57-year-old. My good cholesterol was too low and bad cholesterol was too high. At five foot eight inches, I should have a body weight of eleven stone, seven pounds. I was fifteen stone and six pounds.

Basically, I had become a fat git who needed to cut done on the pork life and get some exercise in. This was about eight weeks ago. I knew I was pushing it and this was a wee bit of a wake-up call.

I was eating hardly a thing during the day, at work, but when I got in I always had a big dinner and from that moment I was always motoring. I would eat my dinner and sit down in front of the TV and continue eating crisps. nuts, ice cream, chocolate. The weekends came and it was large donner kebabs with chilli sauce and chips, then Guinness and red wine.

Nothing was done in moderation and when I say crisps, it was a whole family pack of six bags during the night. It was getting ridiculous.

I started the diet as soon as I got home. Also, our local doctors have a dietician come every few weeks and the health visitors booked me in to see her. 

Well, I decided to cut out all crisps and other things I spoke of. I took one wrap to work with a couple of plums. Sometimes apples or oranges. When I got home, I eat a smaller sized dinner, often tuna steaks and salmon dishes as I do like fish. When I went to see the dietician, first off, it was two weeks after the health visit. I was down to fifteen stone. A loss of six pounds. I saw her again ten days ago and I was fourteen stone, six pounds. I got on my scales this morning and I'm fourteen stone.

I've found my old, 34 waists jeans can fit and I'm also beginning to feel good about myself. Also, I've found I'm enjoying meals more. The dietician showed me a number of things concerning five a day fruits. I've found that fresh fruit salad is gorgeous. She also said that I need to have dairy products in moderation, but not to cut them out. Therefore, I use a small amount of low-fat Greek yogurt on top of the fruit salad bowl. 

My wife and I went out picking blackberries that seem to be growing everywhere. Also kiwi fruits, mangos, plums, blueberries, bananas and apples from the supermarkets. Once I've eaten my dinner, I no longer snack. I'm not hungry and I'm not craving anything either. I'm just getting more encouraged by the gradual weight loss. I keep asking myself why I took so long to get around to doing this. I think the health check visits are a good thing. 

Oh! I almost forgot about a cross-trainer that I use to burn off around 100 calories. That is not much every day, I grant, but it all adds up and if one did want to do rapid weight loss then perhaps a longer session would do. I'm sticking to 100 calories a day on the cross trainer for now.