Question: when the English use "meringue", they mean whipped cream, right? Meringue in the US is the fluffy stuff made with egg whites that you put on top of a pie and bake....

No, I think our meringue is the same as yours.

I've been eating lots today, but I'm not going to get too stressed about it, I'll just claim that I need to carb load for my 10k on Sunday. (I don't, but I'll claim I do...)

I've just bought a load of size 12 swimwear from Primark so fingers crossed it looks half decent, I'm almost sorted (I think) for my holiday now, just a few more things to get over the weekend or next week. I've sorted out a hotel for the night before my flight too, as well as stuff for the 10k in London, I'm feeling in an organising mood (nothing to do with it being payday, obviously )

I'm just trying to plan my meals for the next week then I'll be off to Tesco. And then when I get back I have some free chocolate I got through the post to munch on Free chocolate having no calories, as we all know

Me too! My sis is a fan.

Ello Jen

'Meringue' is egg whites and sugar, same as your side of the pond. I don't think we have a word for 'whipped cream' other than 'whipped cream'. Those readymade meringue baskets you can buy are great for a low fat pud - topped with fruit and some yog. They'd make anyone doing a low carb/low GI diet have a fit, but they are handy!

June Tabor is definietly a Folk artist. I like my folk but I've never seen June. More of a Show of Hands person myself. Hope you enjoyed it.

Hi all - sorry I've been AWOL for the week, but I was a wee bit down in the dumps so thought I wouldn't post until I was back to my usual cheery self .

My friend's funeral was yesterday, and was tough as maybe you can imagine. Funerals are bad at the best of times, but suicide funerals are so much worse somehow. I knew what to expect because of my brother's suicide, and I was steeling myself for the worst, but actually it wasn't as bad as I feared - more a celebration of his life than a lament for his passing. There were hundreds of people there, and huge photos of him around the hall (his sister is a professional photographer, and these were all the 'caught unawares' snapshot types, of him laughing and playing the fool etc.) There wasn't a dry eye in the house, but because it was a humanist ceremony rather than a religious one it was upbeat and joyous rather than staid and solemn.

He's been my best friend my whole life - I can't remember a time when he wasn't part of my life. When the sand in our sandpit was too dry to bind into proper sandcastles he used to pee on it for me - I thought he was soooooo chivalrous and clever. I wanted to be able to pee standing up too! When you're 3 years old actions like that seem totally sensible, and I guess you don't think about the propriety (not to mention lack of hygiene!) of peeing in sand that you're going to be playing in for the next 4 hours.

Damn, I miss him. But memories like that are priceless...

In other news, I've lost 2lbs this week and I'm now 'only' 11st 12lbs - yay, I've finally got out of the 12s!!

Have a happy Mayday weekend everyone,

Janey

Lovely to see you back again Janey. Your post bought tears to my eyes, I am a soppy old sod.

11st 12lbs well done you.

Sarah I am going to plant my tomatoes today, and what a result with those jeans the other day.

Kykaee hope your feeling a litle less stressed.

YP I've actually been doing a little bit of running its strangely addictive.

As for me I'm fine, a huge spot the size of Canada on my chin I don't usually get spots. Of course I can't just leave it can I. I've made it a million times worse.

Jen I love merignues, in fact I may buy some of those little nests fill them with cream fraiche and some fruit. I couldn't make my own I am quite useles
in the kitchen

Have a lovely weekend everyone

Michele

Janey, it sounds like you've had a hard week, but well done on getting through it and losing too!

I'm having a rest day from exercise today, but I've been doing a bit of gardening. Except it's colder out there than I'd like so I've come in for a while to warm up. That would have nothing to do with my new Runners World arriving in the post about 10 minutes ago, obviously

I've got a bit more holiday shopping to do, but might save that til Monday and get the gardening out of the way. The plan is to clear as much of the rubbish in the garden as possible now in preparation for actually doing something to make it look nicer during the next bank holiday weekend. Of course, I'm sure I'll make very little more progress than what I've just done, but I do need to mow the lawn...

I tried on my new bikini this morning and was surprised how passable I looked, even in the little tie side bikini bottoms and "triangles and string" top. I didn't try it on in the shop because it was so cheap (Primark), but I might just get away with it.

No photos though

Ooh, it's a weight loss special too

Runner's World is??? That's my next on my to-do list then!

I've had the laziest day so far. I feel a bit down in the dumps, DF's out till late, I have no money for shopping, I need to go and buy food though. I might read some more books. Apart from that nothing planned. I was going to go to the gym but I'm still feeling a little blah!

Yup, although it turned out to just be a couple of pages so nothing too exciting.

I'm currently trying to decide on a new mobile handset, I've got a choice of 4 free upgrades and looking at them on the internet is far more appealing to going back outside and starting the gardening again. I've had a huge salad for lunch, and must have already hit 5 portions of fruit and veg for the day with my berries for breakfast and my midmorning apple. It's pre-race pasta tonight, with an aubergine and pine nut sauce. I've never cooked aubergine before, so we'll see how that goes...

YP - try roasting the aubergine first before adding it to the sauce otherwise it will make the sauce go watery. I love aubergine - years ago my DD and I were veggie for a few years and aubergine got to be a major part of our diet.

Frus - Why are you down in the dumps????

I decided to blow away some cobwebs of my own today so me and the dogs went on a 4.5 hour hike across the nearer Moors and over in to more distant ones. I clocked up 16.5 miles and we are all completely

DH has come home from work early and has decided to paint the fences, wood bits on the garage and the raised flower edges so I got out there too and sewed some mixed salad leaves seeds in a huge tub by the kitchen door (a great way to have several weeks of cut-and-come-again salad and so much cheaper than the shops). I also moved tomato, melon, aubergine and chilli seedlings in to larger pots in the greenhouse and planted out some herb seedlings. I love the garden at this time of the year. The dogs are out there stretched out in the sunshine. I think its time for a glass of wine....

I'm ok, I've hada nice relaxing bath and a sleep and dome lots of reading! I think I'm missing my DF and the gym! I don't usually get all mopey without him, but I think it's because I haven't got anything to do. Usually I'll be kickboxing on a Saturday or something, but I've given it a miss today.

Oooh I've got British strawberries here... They are SO expensive! Over 2 quid for a punnet! I got 2 punnets reduced in Marks yesterday, down to a quid, but Waitrose have got them priced at £2.19!!!! I suppose it's like buying Green & Blacks instead of Dairy Milk, neither of which I've bought today

I didn't say earlier, but last night DF and I met up in Hemel Hemptstead for tea. We went to an all you can eat chinese restaurant! We didn't know it was JUST all you can eat! It was very nice, but now I feel sick thinking about food! I'd have to try VERY hard to slip back into my old ways. Today has been very light on food - lots of carbs though, but still only eating a little bit! I'll have some protein later... maybe a shake I can't face making anything that resembles a meal!

I've bought Green and Blacks today...

I managed to get some more garden stuff done, visited my grandmother in hospital (she had a hip replacement on Thursday) and am now cooking again. I've had a fairly controlled food day, although Saturdays tend do go downhill in the evening... I will attempt not to drink too much wine though, as it will affect my run tomorrow if I do. I'd love to get under 50 minutes this time - in theory it's possible because I ran just over 50 in my last 10k on a harder course, but I've not done much speedwork recently so I don't know whether I'll be up to it tomorrow.

I've also found a fab website with vegetable recipes on.
Here I'm tempted to work my way through them picking a new vegetable each week and attempting one of the recipes. There are some on there that look really good. That can be my task for summer after my holiday I think.

Mmm. Aubergine pasta sauce was definitely a success. Although I've eaten aubergine for a while, I was always a bit scared of cooking it myself in case I really messed it up and it was too bitter. It was nowhere near as tricky as I'd feared, so I'll be cooking with it again

Early night tonight I think, although I need to make my packed lunch for tomorrow, I'm planning to take chargrilled veg, rocket and feta wraps together with a selection of fruit, yoghurt and other snacks to tide me over through the rugby after the run. I know there won't be anything with any nutritional value available at the ground!