Thought I'd share

Today on the way home I was listening to absolute radio and Jonathan Coulton was on the air. Now not sure if any of you have heard his music but I was hooked right away. Maybe it was because I felt some sort of kinship as he used to be a computer programmer but whatever, he's this internet phenomenon apparently and I think you should give his music a listen. His website is www.jonathancoulton.com. Have a listen and let me know what you think. (Julia have Jody listen to "Code Monkey")

No More Running :(

So, went to the doctors today and he said no more running! Boo! My knee pain hasn't gone away and apparently it has something to do with my cartilage. So I need to rest it until the pain goes away and then I can start exercising again but only low impact stuff, bicycle and cross trainer stuff. So doesn't look like I'll be completing the 10k this year, I'm just hoping that the pain will be gone or at least bearable by Saturday as we're off to Portugal for a week.

Training hiccup!

So this morning was my second week, second session and well, it didn't go so well. I was supposed to run for 25 minutes...I ran for 10.5 minutes and had to stop and walk because my knee was killing me! I've never suffered from knee problems before and yesterday my knee was fine so I don't think I hurt it on Sunday when I ran...I'm guessing I twisted it yesterday some how as it was slightly sore when I got up this morning. So I pushed on and managed to run a total of 21:30 minutes but I'm beginning to think I shouldn't have as I'm in absolute agony now! So, tonight when I get home I'm going to ice it and rest it and wrap it and not run again till it's feeling better. I'm so frustrated as I'm sure I would have been able to run at least 15 minutes without stopping if not the whole 25 minutes if it weren't for my knee!

Week 1, Session 3 AND Week 2, Session 1

Ok, so I didn't post after my 3rd session for my first week but don't worry, it doesn't mean I didn't complete it! I did, yesterday (Saturday) and then ran again today making sure I left more than 24hrs between my runs.

Week 1, Session 3 - Walk 2 minutes, run 8 minutes.
Work was too busy to run on Thursday or Friday so I ran first thing on Saturday morning. Same thing happened as session 2. I managed the first 8 minutes just fine but stopped twice on the second set with tight calf and inner thigh muscles. In the end I completed the 8 minutes of running even though I had to stop and walk and stretch a couple of times.

Week 2, Session 1 - Walk 3 minutes, Run 10 minutes.
Ran with Sandra today. Wasn't sure how either of us would do, she's not much of a runner and I had only just run the day before and struggled with it. We ran along the old rail lines from Takeley to Hatfield forest. It was a nice change although the hills along the road up to the forest gate were killer. I manage to complete my training run without stopping although I stretched before I started to run, after my warm up walk and then in between the 2 10 minute running sessions which really seemed to help. It was great to have someone else to train with as well. Sandra has a bit of a faster pace than I do so she pushed me to work harder.

Tuesday is a 25 minute run, I think I'll really struggle with it but I'd like to run 15 minutes without stopping if I can. Only 4 weeks to go and I have a lot of work to do! Here's hoping I can keep up the training!


My first week of training has gone pretty well, if nothing else I've actually managed to to complete 3 training sessions! I only have 4 weeks left till the run, not a lot of time to train but hopefully 3 sessions a week till then will really, help!

Don't forget to sponsor me! http://www.run10ksponsorme.org/evettiespaghetti

Week 1, Session 2

OK, Got up at 7 and went for a run! That in itself is a huge feat for me! I was supposed to walk 3, run 10 minutes and do it twice. I did the first set just fine and then walked 3 minutes but when I started to run again for the second 10 minutes I found it very, very difficult. My hips had started to tighten up along with my calf muscles...I stopped twice in the first 4 minutes, stopping my stop watch as well though, and had to stretch a bit before continuing. But in the end I did manage to finish my ten minutes and even sprinted the last 30 seconds to try and improve my speed. I'm sure that was the hardest bit! But an hour later and I'm still purple faced. I'm not sure what they thought at nursery when I dropped Zachary off this morning! I look like a beetroot! I'm not sure what day I'm going to run again because Thursday or Friday would be best but I'm due in Slough to meet with customers. It won't do, turning up late with a beetroot face! I could always try running after work...I'll keep you posted!

Running...

Ok, so if you were expecting a blog about our Canada trip...It probably won't happen...you know what I'm like! I may however blog about Zachary's Birthday on Saturday! But we'll see how this week plays out.

Running...I've started running again (started, once in nearly 2 years!). We've had a bit of a cancer scare with MIL so I was frustrated and feeling like I was useless and needed to do something...so I'm running. I'm taking part in the Cancer Research 1oKm run. I took part 2 years ago but last year I only walked the 5km in June as I was pregnant. So I'm going to try and keep you updated with my progress! Pretend today's post was posted yesterday (on Sunday!)

5 weeks till the big day. I've not run for nearly two years. I'll be lucky if I complete the run in an hour and 30 minutes. I'd like to train 3 days a week but with work and a 1 year old...It should prove to be difficult. I must persevere though!

First Session of my running training. I found it difficult to run (er...Jog) after taking a break for nearly 2 years. I managed to complete my training for the day although the last 5 minutes of running I felt as though I was running on legs of lead! So heavy...although after I finished I figured I probably would have been able to complete another 5 minutes if I needed to. Tuesday's session will be a lot harder, Not to mention getting up and doing it before work! Yuck!

Now if you fancy sponsoring me for this fateful event please click on the following link and give me all your money!

http://www.run10ksponsorme.org/evettiespaghetti

More updates to follow!

All Done!

So this must be a first...it's 11:30 pm, we are due to leave at 8:30 tomorrow morning for our trip home and I seem to be done packing. We have one bag left but we're leaving that till the morning when we fill it full of our wash bags, cameras and any other last minute items we feel we need.

I can't believe it! I'm pretty sure this has never happened before, usually I'm packing well into the wee hours of the night! I'm sure I've forgotten something important and I won't realise till the wee hours of the night! HEHE!

So, Off to bed for me in a minute to get some sleep (if I can as I'm too excited!) and then we're headed to Canada in the morning (actually it's the afternoon and we're headed to Seattle first as it was WAY cheaper to fly there and drive up!). So, wish us luck as a 10 hour flight with an 11 month old should be exciting! er...sorry that would be exhausting!

The Simple Life

Why is it that we forget that the simple things in life can make us happy? Yesterday was such a perfect day, nothing extrodinary happened it was just such a lovely day.

I woke up in a mood as I was tired from lack of sleep from 2 days of driving and staying up late and I had hoped that Zachary would sleep in because we were all up so late at Aunty Sue's 50th Birthday Bash. But 7am came around and little man was awake and there wasn't anyway he was about to go back to sleep...so up we got...tired and blurry eyed. I was due to go to Saffron Walden to pick up a VCR for Lynda (turns out we don't need it now though...) and it was suggested I have a nap first. I declined the offer as I didn't want to waste the day away and I'm so glad I made that decision even though I'm still ever so tired today!

I drove to Saffron Walden which is about 30 minutes from us. I wasn't sure the best route to take so I turned on TomTom and he took me though the back roads. It was such a lovely morning and not a lot of traffic and I took my time along the winding country roads going through some beautiful villages including Thaxted. I got home feeling refreshed and contented from such a lovely sunday drive!

We then went into Harlow to get the doggy diet food (Poor Fat Moose!) and then to do a bit of shopping and stop for some lunch. On the way home we stopped at Gran and Grandads do drop off the Carseat, Nappies and Zacharys new paddling pool. We had a cup of tea and blew up the paddling pool to put Zachary's 100 balls in it. After a while I suggested we fill up the pool with water seeing it was such a hot day out and Zachary was absolutely sweating from running around after the balls that he kept throwing.

The paddling pool was a hit! Zachary loved it. In and out of the pool he went splashing and throwing a ball here and there. Even if he never uses the pool again it was worth the £10 we paid for it just for him to use it yesterday. We all laughed and laughed and Zachary was getting so excited and just kept climbing out and turning around and jumping in again. Naked and covered in grass he was so happy giggling and playing in the water!

After a cuddle and getting dressed again we headed home for a lovely curry (homemade...sort of!) and after Zachary was in bed I talked to Mum and Richard, then Pam and Dad and then Lynda. It was another late night and I knew that 6am would come far too early but I was contented as I fell asleep in my darling hubby's arms.

The Simple things....this is what makes me happy!

Strangeness

So do you ever freak yourself out? I do it quite often, probably so often that it doesn't freak me out quite so much.

Yesterday at work for whatever reason I was thinking that the canteen should offer a meal deal. Sandwich, drink and crisps for a set, discounted price. Everywhere else does it, Boots, Tesco's so it only makes sense that they should and I wondered to myself why didn't they?

This morning when I went to get my morning latte there were signs everywhere "Meal Deal". So a bit freaked out I asked the girl at the till, "Is the meal deal new?", "Yes, New today, we've just put up the signs!".

So, Bizarre that I was think about it yesterday and today it's in place...The power of thought? Hmmmm, what else can I accomplish just by thinking...my test plans should be done by now...lets have a look...nope! Shame! Means I must get cracking!

Baby Brain???

OK, so I just did one of these getting to know you quiz things and I felt like I was drawing a blank on so many of the questions...like what is your favorite childhood memory or what is your favorite place to eat out. I just had no idea!

I find that I'm been drawing a blank more and more lately. most days I can't remember what day it is.Yesterday I thought it was friday!

so yes...I figure I have baby brain. does it go away? I hope so! Although I have a sneeky suspicion that it's just that I have more important things on my mind now and not to mention tired! I hope little man sleeps through the night tonight.

Back to Work

Ok So those of you that have been waiting for 2008 - A year in review...hope you've figured it out by now but it's not gonna happen! Nothing that interesting happened anyways! (hehe!) Ok, other than my wedding in February in Jasper, Honeymooned on a Cruise through the Panama Canal, 9 Months of Pregnancy, the birth of my GORGEOUS baby boy and Christmas in Canada...Other than that...not much happened! Ok, I'm sorry, I just never got the chance to sit down and do it. Please forgive me!

So this week was my first week back at work after having 9 months off on Maternity Leave. I can't believe that my little angel is nearly 9 months old. I'm not sure where time has gone! Smiley and I decided that it would be best for everyone (myself, Smiley and Zachary) if I went back part-time and worked 3 days a week. I wasn't too sure about it and hated the thought of actually going back to work and leaving Zachary for 3 days. It turns out I think it's going to be ok. I'm glad that I'm not working more than that as I think I'd feel as though someone else was bring up my baby.

Zachary was in Nursery (Day Care) for those three days and he did really well. As the week went on he ate more and had more milk. His key worker said he was doing brilliantly. This of course is great news. Although they did say that they gave him a cup of sand to play with and he touched it and started to cry. Bless! He did better with the sand on Wednesday but still wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

Wednesday I got home after picking Zachary up and it was about 6:30. Smiley has been working in London a lot recently as he's busy, busy, busy with work. So I put Zachary down in the lounge and went to let Moose out the back as he hadn't had a walk and he was going to have to wait till Smiley got home around 8 or so.

Now I must give you some background info on our house. Our back door is through the conservatory and there is a step down from the dinning room into the conservatory with french doors there. The Conservatory is small so it's only about 3 steps from the french doors to the outside doors.

Right. I put Zachary down in the lounge and headed towards the french doors to let Moose out. Zachary is crawling now and is pretty quick. So in order to keep him from hurting himself I shut the french doors into the Conservatory (as there is a step down there onto cement flooring). By the time I got to the outside door and unlocked it Zachary was at the french doors and started to bang on the window. I let Moose out, hooked the door so it would stay open and went back in. I went to open the french doors and they were stuck...Locked shut by a bolt across the bottom of the two doors. As I went out I only unlocked the one door and didn't undo the bolts at the top and bottom so the bolt across the two kept me from getting back in.

I looked down at Zachary and there he was smiling up at him. He had lifted and slid the bolt across and locked the 'unlocked' door to the bolted one! OMG! I didn't know what I was going to do. I had no phone, no keys and this day and age, who knows any phone numbers as they are all stored in your phone! Fortunatly my neighbour across the road had seen me come home and brought over the box of wine that had arrived for us during the day. She waved at me through the window and I motioned for her to come to the back gate. I explained what had happened and she came and had a look.

Poor Zachary was locked inside the house and I had no way of getting in. That morning before I went to work I double checked that all the windows were on the latch as I would be gone for 10 hours and Smiley was working in London and had left well before me. I started to panic but my fab neighbour told me not to worry as she started to call 999. We asked for the Fire 'Brigade' to come out as we had a baby locked in a house.

The Fire 'Brigade' arrived within 5-10 minutes and they were great! Nice and calmly had a look at the windows to see if they could get in and came up with an action plan. Poor Zachary couldn't understand what was happening as his mummy was on the other side of the glass and he couldn't get to her. He was sitting by the door and absolutely screaming his head off...it broke my heart as I knew there wasn't anything I could do. At one point he did have his face pressed against the window and he looked so cute! I couldn't help but laugh (the firemen were halfway in by that point!). Fortunatly the french doors aren't that well made so they were able to take the glass out fairly easily without breaking it and in the end put it back and my landlord will never know the difference (unless he happens to read this!). They unlocked the bolt and let me in. Zachary was happy as anything the moment I picked him up. He was covered in kisses and then had his picture taken with one of the firemen who helped me get back into the house.

I still can't believe that my 9 month old baby managed to lock me out of the house. Who's a clever boy! I find it very funny now but I did have a bit of a wobble when I realised that he was inside and I was out and there was nothing I could do about it. This is definatly something to go into his memory book!

Putting the glass back in the door

Not sure Zachary really liked the fireman!

The past two days have been great with Zachary. Yesterday we went swimming and went round Ali's and Zachary had a play with Rosie (who is 6 weeks younger) and today we just had some great Mummy and Zachary time.

Assuming I don't get locked out of the house again, I think I have the correct work/life balance!

Bad Blogger...Still...and Lent

Ok, I know I know...I've not even started the post 'a year in review' or whatever lame title I come up with...But after I've done this...I will, I'll actually start it. But Smiley has gone out for some Chips so I'll not finish before he gets back.

I have no excuse for not blogging other than having a baby to play with all the time and he's a grabby little thing and loves all electronic devices, phones, remotes, laptops...yup...good fun! Plus this post feels like it's going to be a lot of work as it was a busy year!

Just wanted to post this...Lent...Every year I try and give something up. Last year I didn't give anything up as I had already given up caffeine, alcohol and all sorts of other stuff (runny eggs!) as I was pregnant. This year Smiley and I have given up Sugar and biscuits (or cookies for you folk in the colony's). Ok...Sugar...this needs some explanation...I can eat things with sugar in it...but I can't put it in my tea or coffee or cereal...that sort of thing. I'm not allowed biscuits but am allowed donuts...and chips...don't forget chips (with loads of salt and vinegar on them!). This should be fairly easy as I'm already used to no sugar in my tea (didn't take long) and I have raspberries in my porridge so it sweetens it up nicely...I'll keep you posted on the biscuits front!

Now...I'm going to start the promised post!

Bad Blogger

Ok, So I know it's been over two months since my last post...and that didn't have any news...it was just a bit of fun. I admit...I'm a bad blogger!

There always seems to be something more urgent to do, like feed or change the baby, do the washing or sleep...or even just little things like the banking! I will try and do a 'year in review' post for 2008 by the end of this week as it was a pretty awsome year!

But I must go for now as hubby has just arrived home and I've not yet had dinner although I have walked and fed the dog, started the washing, tidied the bedroom, done the shopping and bathed and put the baby to bed...all before 8pm. Today was a good day!

More posts to come soon...I promise!