Like all good intentions everything went to pot within a few weeks. However, I did really well on the diet for a few weeks, so am gradually getting back to it.I have a big meal out this Friday but apart from that I have stuck to it for two days so far.
I am really back into my stitching and knitting - currently working on Mirabilia's Seaside Kingdom. It's a very simple ethereal design, but very hard to work on as it's case of playing hunt the stitch symbol between all the bead symbols! Anyway - here's a pic - not great - it was taken on my mobile.

Looking at this, I can see that I have achieved quite a bit since then, so another update this weekend!

I lost 7.5lb this week - a good start for a new diet. I know I didn't eat as much as I am supposed to but I'm very cautious as I'm not used to regimes where you don't weigh anything and can eat as much as you like! I have made up for it today - used half of my 'Syn' allowance (excuse the twee name for high calorie items - the main thing I don't like about Slimming World).
This week was hard - it's horrible going to back work after Christmas! The weather was pretty dreadful at the beginning of the week too - high winds and lots and lots of rain! It has calmed down a bit now and feels a little more like normal January temperatures. We've had hardly any frosts so far this winter though -  the USA seems to be having all the cold weather!
I'm doing well with stitching and knitting this week. I have finished the Robin - picture to follow - and am back working on Seaside Kingdom - which Ken got me for my birthday with the help of my friend Sandra. I've also finshed the back and one front of Tom's aran hoodie - mainly because I've spent almost every evening in front of the TV with Ken watching things like Sherlock and The Bridge. He has bought a new super duper TV, and although we are struggling to get my loop fitted properly to it, I'm managing by clipping the micophones onto Ken's soundbar.
Hardly seeing anything of the kids - Ben has been closeted up in his room all week, and Jenny and Debbie both seem to be very busy. Ken and I met Mum for coffee this morning and we took back the lamp she bought me that didn't work - the shop are going to try and get another. Mum still seems very down about her health - the doc seems to have told her that the neuropathy she has is an immuno response disorder and they can't do anything about it.
Still waiting for the job I want to be advertised so I can apply - but work has been better this week, so I don't feel quite so desperate!

So I went to Slimming World tonight and signed up. I'm nervous and not terrible confident about achieving anything but I have to try. I'm now the heaviest I have ever been and really struggling just to move around. I've set myself a target weight for next Christmas but I'm trying not to get too hung up on that. The plan seems straightforward with a few quirks, but I'm not confident that it will work for me - I need to weigh and count to restrict what I eat, but I'll give it a go. I have been to WW so many time with no real results. So - here I  go again!

Another New Year! 2013 was a better year for me - my Mum seems to have settled down now, although she is still very depressing to be around as she complains and moans about everything and is completely self absorbed by her health although for an 84 yr old lady she has excellent health - just a few aches and pains. Speaking of health - I am back on the antidepressants as my anxiety and panic attacks went into overdrive this year and finally around September I decided enough was enough and went back to the doctors again. Ken had a diagnosis of emphysema this year plus he also has Barrett cells in his oesophagus so is on stomach medication too. I am also using an inhaler now as my chest is quite bad and I stuggle to breathe at times. One brilliant thing did happen this year - we are now back in touch with Ken's nephew and his wife - I won't go into details as it's a long story, but it has been so good for Ken to have some of his family back in his life again.
This year has seen me lose some friends, mainly because my anxiety has been so overpowering I have found it difficult to cope with much interaction with people, but I am back into my stitching again plus I have also done quite a bit of knitting. I have given up my OU aspirations completely now - I just can't afford to do it, and my memory isn't so good now so I'm not even sure I could cope. My grandson has grown ito a very lively little boy - funny and loving, very like his Dad and looks to be very physical and sporty. He goes to his first football training this Sunday and will start school next September.
Stitching wise, I am spending a lot of time on a Mirabilia Round Robin. I hate the things and the time it takes but a sixth person was desperately needed so I succumbed rather than see the initiative fail. I did finish the stitching for Tom's Christmas stocking, and my Mum made the stocking up.

I've knitted a couple of jumpers for Tom this year, including this aran jumper:

The colour isn't good - it's a really nice holly berry red in real life.

As it's a new year I suppose I should make some resolutions - the only one I want to make is to do something about my job - stop letting it dominate my life and make me constantly anxious and upset and, if possible, to find a new job. Oh - and of course, to lose some weight - goes without saying - I say it every year...

So last night I started stitching again in earnest. I have now set up an almost separate stitching room, so that my lamp doesn't bother my other half and also I can watch the tv I  want to see in peace without feeling guilty. Of course I am now being accused of being unsociable, but somehow DH wasn't accused of that when he used to disappear to watch tv programmes online when he didn't want to watch what I wanted to see.
Anyway, I still have to find a container for the TUSAL but I am pleased with my stitching progress last night. Photos will follow. I'm also trying to be more sociable and have booked to go on a couple of stitchy retreats this year and have started posting more on a board I belong to. I do need to work on that more though and stop assuming no one wants to know what I am up to.
No stitching tonight as I am off to Bingo (!) with a friend from work. It's a weird thing to do and I feel slightly ashamed of it but it's what my friend likes and I value her friendship.
I'm very fed up with work. Bored and yet stressed at the same time. I plan to take a couple of days off soon and sort out my stitching room and bedroom and maybe bead a bauable or put together a knitting bag that I am making.Though reading that, I already know I won't get half of that done!

Time to try blogging again. Not just blogging, trying to get more involved again, both with stitching and the stitching community. I'm all knitted out for now and my hands and wrists are paying the price so it's time to stitch again. I have been concentrating on Facebook for a while now but find it difficult to get a feel for things that are happening, eg TUSAL and WIPocalypse. Also blogs seem to be different - this seems to link up wth Google+ somehow, which I don't use as I find it confusing and hardly anyone else seems to use it. But I see that Annette of Annette's Acre seems to have her blog networked in some way????? Huh??

Anyway - lets see how I get on.

After thinking I had lost the stitching and knitting bug forever (see April) it now seems to have come back big time. I'm once again suffering from stash aquisition disease and will have to exercise real discipline not to get to SABLE levels again :-( I seem to have given up on knitting things for myself - partly because there isn't a lot out there that I 'love' enough to knit, but also because it's cheaper and quicker to buy garments. However, I have rediscovered my love for crochet and am making a blanket plus I am now buried in a desire to knit lots of 'smalls' - Alan Dart designs, Debi Birkin designs and other similar things. Maybe it's an age thing? I do draw the line at Jean Greenhowe - they still don't appeal. Maybe I need to age a few more years.
Oh, and baby clothes, of course. I still love knitting those and wish I had more babies to knit for. In order to do everything I want,  I need to do about 3 years knitting before Xmas. And I do need to sleep.