reality check. the frustrated version. in crawling into 2014.

WHERE: in the bath... The water is just, slightly, too hot but the window is open to counteract any hot flushes that may give me (non hormonal, I hasten to add).

WEARING: five heart shaped, very small earrings purchased at Claire's in Bristol airport last summer, left wrist has a braided leather thong from Benalmádena (2010), a blue beaded bracelet (2013) and black elastic bracelet with a brass cross (2014). My right wrist has a carved leather thong from Benalmádena (2010), a wooden beaded bracelet from Claire's (2008), a leather, braided thong purchased locally (2013) and a metal bracelet from Claire's that Talaia bought me for mother's day. It has the words Laugh, Live, Love enscribed around it.

FITNESS UPDATE: I ran two miles today, as fast as I could. The second mile was much slower than the first! I did go four miles the other day :-D

And since giving up sugar 9 or so weeks ago, I have lost 8lbs. Due to bad diet and no running last year, that still leaves me with 16lbs to lose, but I'm not focusing on that and I'm loving that I can eat, within reason, whatever the heck I want. And I no longer think about nor crave sugar.Or sugary things.

IN THE NEWS: the south Korean boat. The echos of those kids resonates in my mind. Syria and the call from the British government for Muslims to dob in any family members who are planning to go and fight. An earthquake near Vancouver.

I really want a final, quirky, news story like they used to have.

Channel four has a new announcer. I, personally, haven't listened, or perhaps I haven't watched channel four - I do tend to be an E4 watcher. Apparently this person had tourettes which is causing hilarity amongst the online community. This is pissing me off somewhat, if the person had any other kind of condition no one would laugh but, because the word "biscuits" was heard, the world exploded with laughter. Do you know what I say? Get the fuck over it.

READING: a book about a Russian bloke who came up with a simple cure for asthma - breath slowly through your nose. It's interesting and the testimony (in the book...) is glowing. I have been following the exercises but I still can't run with my mouth closed. Maybe I'll get there eventually.

ACTIVITIES TODAY: Toy Library. I have a temporary charge so it will be her first time. Her mum is about to go on maternity leave but her old childminder just started a new job so she has four weeks to cover. This is the end of week two. She's a gorgeous, chilled little girl. Lunch time is Fry-Up Friday. This has occurred every three weeks for some time as a friend of mine works shifts and in her last early shift she tries to stay awake so that she can shift her body clock. We meet up, with anyone who can come, and have a fry-up for lunch. It's always good fun, and we talk in depth about many great subjects.

THINKING ABOUT: feeling frustrated. As the years go by we get nearer to Talaia starting secondary school and the local one doesn't cut the mustard for us so we really want to move. The school we want her to go to has a small intake and a small catchment area. Of course you can apply from outside the catchment area but it's not a likely option. The problem is, we can't get a bigger mortgage than we have really - maybe ten or at a push twenty thousand more and our current mortgage is very small in comparison to many other people. That would mean downsizing. There was one house that had a basement which would make childminding still possible but, of course, I would rather not be doing that.

PLANNING: to get out of the bath, change the car seats (again!). Long term has too much limbo to have definite plans.