I am in Love…

with this little guy…

It finally arrived around lunch time and I eagerly opened the boxes (it was VERY well packaged).

 

 

 

 

and came with a free set of Dualit kitchen scales which I don’t need just yet so will remain in the box.

It has a home now in the kitchen and fits in so well with all my retro and original 1920s kitchenware. 

I can’t wait to get started…watch this space… xx

Excited? Hell yeah…

I read blogs where people pee themselves with excitement at the prospect of  their KitchenAid mixers. I thought they were a little odd. I mean how can a kitchen appliance inspire such drama? Well, that was until today. I ordered my first ever KitchenAid Artisan mixer and it is en route to my home as I type. A short recap:

For my birthday 2 years ago a very good friend bought a cupcake book as a gift for me. I drooled over the pages and asked her which one she would like as a thank you for my gift. She chose the chocolate hazelnut with nutella frosting. So I went home and checked out the recipe. I had everything EXCEPT the electric mixer. I decided to buy, just one a cheap thing from Argos for £5. I was just going to have a go after all. I made the cakes to the prescribed recipe and duly handed them out. I was suddenly inundated with requests for more. I began thinking of my own combinations and I even began getting orders for parties. My dear little hand mixer died a spectacular death halfway through a lemon frosting. I borrowed my sister’s hand mixer and decided that really I ought to have a decent one. After the decision was made I checked out the possible options and decided on my favourite brand I opted for a Dualit hand mixer.

I LOVE my hand mixer. It has served me well and on seeing it in my kitchen has even inspired a friend to buy one. My cake orders have increased as I am making them for charity and I decided to buy a KitchenAid after lusting after one for a few years. I am not certain of the exact point at which this decision was reached but I knew I WANTED ONE.

The dilemma that affects all people who buy a KitchenAid is – COLOUR. I adore the 1950s cream and pistachio palette. I have my trusty cream Dualit toaster and an original 1920s pistachio breadbin but I wanted to play with colour. Red and black were out immediately as was white(sorry if you own these beautiful colours but I wanted something special). I also decided against cream. I played with bubblegum pink, bright pink, chrome and yellow then I found it… Pistachio. Oh the disappointment on discovering it was only available in US was palpable. I even went through the option of having it shipped over and buying a transformer but then I found it… Ice Blue. The closest to pistachio and still quite a sweet colour.

So here I am a few days after ordering the ice blue KitchenAid with a glass bowl and a steel bowl. I have been tracking my order and after a painful waiting period of a weekend it is now on the truck and en route to me. I am sitting in my bedroom on the edge of my bed having taken the day off. I feel the same sense of anticipation I have read about and dismissed but it is so real. All manner of recipes are going through my head. Last night I made and frosted 40 cupcakes and it took 5 hours. I am looking forward to the mechanisation of this event and cutting my cupcake time down. I am playing with the idea of making individual lemon meringue pies. xx

Half Marathon Training Day 1…

Ok day one is here and has started with a quick weigh in. Stats this morning: weight 13stone 13lb (phew JUST under 14stone). I have gained almost 10lb in the last few months since I fell off the wagon. I refuse to beat myself up about this. Body fat is 49%. I am confident I can get back down this month with my plans for running.

New running shoes have arrived and I love them. We went for a trial walk yesterday along my local beach where I will be running.

I love the new running shoes they are Brooks Adrenaline boys size 5 and fit perfectly. They are neither girly nor ridiculous looking.

This morning is very frosty but yesterday it was glorious weather outside and this is how my running track was looking. The tide was right out and the running community was in full flow.

New shoes on terrified feet… the very THOUGHT is terrifying. I am thinking about lugging my great chunky…. oh but WAIT… I said goodbye to her yesterday at the airport. I am no longer a huge wobbly person but a work in progress to get fit and healthy.

It is really strange how well voicing my goodbye to the fat person worked. I took the opportunity to look at myself in my swimsuit and concentrate on the good points, the curves I have and my proportions…

Today I will be sitting down and formulating my running plan. I have 19 weeks to get myself fit and ready to run. I have to work out how much weight I want to lose (around 30lb), my pace and my schedule. Until then I have a date with the steam room… more later. x