I will tell you more about myself in dribs and drabs as I go on and about the heavenly place I am lucky enough to live in.
For now I wonder how many of you try to look your best or have you given up? Some-one tactlessly said to me the other day: “I don’t know why you bother at your age” when I said I did not want to get any larger! She missed the point. The reason I want to remain the size I am (and preferably a stone lighter) is not pure vanity - health comes into it and so I explained that I wanted to “Die healthy” by which I meant that I did not want to moulder away in some home unable to do much. Better to be fit and well and drop dead one day - at a good old age I added.
To try and achieve my aim I may seem eccentric, but I only have fruit for breakfast. I have been told that we humans assimilate the goodness in our food better when it is consumed before noon. So… I only have about three pieces of fruit for breakfast, including half an avocado sometimes. Then to keep me going until lunch I have a whey protein powder called Mass Advantage (obtainable from www.ingoodfettle.com) mixed into a glass of skim milk at elevenses. This gives me a protein boost without adding unwanted fat and I find it delicious and look forward to it. It can be added to any drink. Body builders would take this as, combined with specific exercises, it builds muscle, but I leave out that sort of exercise (!) and just go about my normal life knowing that I have made a good start to the day.
I love my garden and the photo is part of my 'suntrap'. This is a large area covered in 10mm cut grit and everything that grows there self seeds. Our house is on the 900' contour and the garden and view face East so there is frequently a keen breeze. The high pressure that often brings good weather invariably comes from the East so I made this hidden garden room a few years ago and have eliminated the wind with a willow hurdle fence covered in ivy. Behind that I have planted a yew hedge that will be windproof by the time the hurdles rot.
I am a great believer that gardens are also for sitting in and not just for constant work so the suntrap is full of plants that self seed - Verbena bonariensis, lychnis, violets, erigeron and easily pulled out weeds. I don't waste time battling to cultivate a plant if it obviously hates our soil or the cold at this height above sea level.
The other piece of information I have acted on for years is to drink before a meal and not during or after one. That is because the liquid will dilute the digestive juices which are hard at work breaking down and sorting out the nutrients of the meal. Both these ideas seem logic to me so I do them as I am a logical person (sometimes!) However, I do like my booze in the evenings so I cheat and have a glass of wine with my evening meal. That is after I have had an almost nil calorie drink of Vodka and diet tonic before! I am no saint and life is for living.
So until next time (and some-one will let you know if I am not still around) have a good week and make the most of this invigorating weather. Here is to all our health, wealth and happiness. Janet