I have had a rough-sounding throat since last Wednesday, which has been quite good, because I've sounded really ill, but felt fine (great for the sympathy vote) and from Friday onwards I started losing my voice (more sympathy) but by Sunday night I was starting to find my breathing felt not so fine and then I kept waking up in the night fearing my lungs would collapse and/or my throat would just close, there would be no time to save me and I would just die instantly.

There is no doubt about it - I am a bona fide Drama Queen, but in the dead of night thoughts that by day are fleeting and laughable suddenly become a realistic foregone conclusion and a spiral of self-induced terror begins. By 8am I was at A&E explaining my fear of imminent death by breathlessness. I was embarrassed to note my low, healthy pulse rate and blood pressure, but they were very kind to me, and assured me that I was not going to die ('well, not of this anyway') and sent me on my way with a diagnosis of sore and slightly swollen throat.

When I got home I felt very sulky at Mark (he is a bit crap at giving me any sympathy) so did not give him the exact diagnosis (for fear of sneering) and told him I had a raw throat and inflamed windpipe. Feel fully vindicated - this is only a tiny exaggeration and I was scared......

Have scrapped this photo of Finlay for the weekly SLYMI:

Last week I was invited to spend the afternoon with my niece Daisy, being a 'special person' at her school. This was a surprise as I was quite sure she didn't like me at all - but in truth I think I was not top of her special list anyway - the other, infinitely more desirable candidates, were unavailable. As a result, I found myself standing in the school reception with hundreds (30) other 'special' relations dragged out for the occasion and feeling quite sick with nerves at the reception I would get from Daisy - she was just as likely to ignore me totally as give me a warm welcome - it could go either way.

As it happened, she had decided to play her part perfectly and was very sweet and lively. She seems to have a very good teacher and I was impressed with the school.

This is not a drawing of me by the way - this is her 'Scary Teeth' drawing. I have to agree. I would be very afraid if I had teeth like this.

After this I had arranged to meet my old school chum in town, which I was really looking forward to. She has not changed and made me cackle with laughter just as she did when we were at school - lovely to spend time with her. You'd expect people to be different after 25 years - but it is so easy to slip back into the personality of carefree schoolgirl.....

A little (too much) of what you fancy

Spent the weekend in Mullion (Cornwall for those not local) in a caravan on a Sun Break (cheapo quick breaks for those not scabby tightarses ha ha). I swear that I will have to turn to valium soon in order to enjoy these breaks - and I use the term 'breaks' loosely - as by the time I have slung the entire contents of our wardrobes, kitchen cupboards and bedlinen into holdalls, bundled the cat off to cat prison and made lunch to eat in the car on the way, I am a so highly strung out I am humming.

Oliver normally asks for his lunch before we have made it three streets away and complaining of tummy ache and boredom by the time we reach the outskirts of Exeter. I try with good grace to be patient with him, but I am not known for my patience and I am usually gibbering with rage by the time we arrive. Don't even get me started on checking into THE one caravan/chalet you see on the way in and pray it isn't yours, under-heated swimming pools, unpacking and making up beds in the tiniest spaces in the known universe. I only unwind when Oliver is sated by 'holidaying' and I am on the first wine of the evening. Mark is very good on these occasions - he tolerates my nuttiness with disbelief and raised eyebrows and I usually end up laughing at myself.

After three nights I had drunk three bottles of wine and consumed my own bodyweight in cheese. I spent last night feeling extremely unwell as a result, vowing to return to the (not very) comforting bosom of Rosemary Conley and giving up alcohol. (well, cutting back big style anyway).

We visited a National Trust place over the weekend - only as an 'on the way back' sort of stop and we were glad we did - Godolphin was one of the loveliest places we have been to. Not because of grandeur or wealth, but because it was set in woodland and oozed history - it was very, very pretty - no interior to speak of as it is being restored, but it was all just so serene and nice.

Scrapping - got some blog candy from this blog last week and today I used some of it to make this layout for the weekly SLYMI - thanks Sarah!

This layout 'Terms of Endearment' shows the loving words we use when talking to Oliver. Clearly not words used in the car on the way to Cornwall then......

a little catch up

Just a quickie - scrapped this for the Scrapgoddessses monthly challenge:

and this for this week's SLYMI:

Went back to Rosemary Conley (the club, not Rosemary personally) and I lost 2lb in weight. It's OK, but I would expect to lose more this week since I have halved the calories I was consuming and doubled the exercise.... Think this is probably the healthiest 'diet' I have ever used, since there is a close eye on fat content - not just calories. Also would like to point out that I am not a diet freak counting every calorie - and neither do I advocate that - I pig on food - not binge, I am basically very greedy. And I cannot bear the idea of not drinking wine of an evening, so I have not denied myself that.

I cannot even begin to describe the utter joy I experienced in the supermarket this week when chancing upon a low calorie/low fat (and no doubt low flavour) pizza. I sang my way to the checkout I can tell you. Chef's critique to follow.

my life in calories

Last Thursday I deicded I could no longer go on with my high-alcohol massive food portion lifestyle, so I joined Rosemary Conley's Diet & Fitness Club. I am finding it hard to get my head around since I love cooking, and watching my calorie/fat intake impacts seriously on my interest in food. I find that all I can think about is when/what I will be eating next and how many calories I will have left at the end of the day to treat myself to wine.

Anyway, I was motivated to get on the cross trainer for 22 minutes this morning, which is a record - and I now have a further 200 calories for today! I know, I know, those calories are meant to be unconsumed and a bonus, but man cannot live on diet alone. It is Saturday night, and I want wine heh heh heh.

Scrapwise - did manage the week 17 SLYMI - I got to use my photo from a few posts back (I am still pissed at the week 16 failure) and will be working on week 18 later. Also have set the monthly challenge on my UKS team thread so will have that to show v. soon.

Week 17: scrap with lace & layers: