On My Needles Tonight...

Bright and cold here again today. It was really frosty and icy underfoot when I nipped up the road to the parcel office around 8 am to collect my smoothie maker that they tried to deliver while I was out yesterday.

An hour later I wrapped up warm and went into town to my Slimming World meeting to face the post-Christmas music. I was pleasantly surprised that my weight had stayed the same as last week. I did have a good Christmas day and I may have finished off a few biscuits over the weekend, but I stuck to my diet on the days up until Christmas and ate fairly healthily the rest of the time so it obviously paid off. I would like to lose a pound or two as I'm 2 lbs over my target weight although still within the 3lbs either way limit they put on gains/losses before I have to pay again for meetings. I'm pleased with myself, though. The last time I got my weight right down with Weight Watchers about 10 years ago Christmas was my downfall and I never managed to get back to my eating plan once the festive season was over. Of course the weight started to pile back on which is why I got up to 15 1/2 stone by the time I joined SW. I'm not sure how I'll do next week once DH is back at work; I'm always better when he's around to distract me from food.

I haven't really played with my smoothie maker yet. I took it out of the box, rinsed everything with warm soapy water and then part filled one of the containers with plain water and set it up to test that it worked okay. The motor is pretty powerful and the blade whizzed the water around into an impressive whirlpool so I'm expecting it will make short work of fruits and veggies. I got 2 packs of 4 Activia vanilla yogurts reduced to 56p a pack this morning in Asda and tomorrow I'll buy some bananas to make some yummy breakfast smoothies.

I realised I haven't blogged much about crafting lately. I am still doing bits and pieces...mainly knitting. I've been making a striped jumper for myself that is mostly done, just the neck shaping on the front and the sleeves to finish off. I've used the same pattern a couple of times before in different colourways but this time I'm making it as close to the original colours as possible using substitute acrylic yarn.  

It's a simple pattern to knit up and lovely and comfortable to wear. I wore the last one I made so often that it practically fell apart. Also yesterday when it was so cold I realised I had no idea where my woolly hat is from last year so I started making a new one and I'm just finsihing off the shaping of the crown. Since I didn't use it for making socks as pressies as intended, I'm using this sparkly yarn I got from Aldi, and may make a pair of gloves to match.

I was also lucky enough to sell one of my tote bags to a lady at the slimming club and, naughty girl that I am, I spent the money on craft magazines. I had a £5 off a £20 spend voucher for W H Smith and bought 2 knitting mags, 2 patchwork/quilting mags and a general craft mag. My intention is to make these the last magazines I buy for a good while until I've started making things from the massive piles I already own (except for the couple I have on subscription and then I won't renew the sub once it expires). I have 2 tall, slimline bookcases bulging with craft books and magazines. I do enjoy getting piles of them out from time to time and looking through them, but there's very little I've actually made from any of them. I think that might have to be another New Year resolution; take out a pile of mags and make something from each of them. I also have an unfinished hexie patchwork that I would like to complete sometime this coming year.

Last night I deviated from my meal plan and we simply had sliced gammon with jacket spuds and baked beans. I saved a couple of slices of gammon and tonight I made macaroni cheese with onion and bacon using up the remainder of the cheeses. I use half fat creme fraiche to make my mac and cheese and it was absolutely delicious.

Tomorrow night (is it really going to be New Year's Eve already?) we're off to a ceilidh at DH's church. Not quite sure how I'll like it as I don't dance (my leg is still painful anyway), there's going to be a magician there for the kids (and I don't care for magicians) and no alcohol. Seriously... I know it's a church gathering, but no alcohol on New Year's Eve? I might have to see the new year in early with a whisky and coke before we go out! Yes, I do sound humbuggy, and I'm sure it will be better than watching TV and listening to the neighbours whooping it up through the walls, but I'm not really one for celebrating the New Year. 

And on that grumpy old woman note, I'll stop my rambling and wish every one a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year in case I don't get to write again tomorrow.