Back to School, back to normal

Thank God that's over and done with. One daughter now in college, and today, two sons back in school. Don't get me wrong, it's not that they're any trouble at all being home, but they're at that in between age where they don't want to do anything or go anywhere. Poor Mr G has been a taxi all summer for the youngest. We haven't seen our daughter. And the middle one hasn't left the house, short of one date, one camping trip, and our overnighter in Manchester.

Everland, Wrexham. Best Chippy in the world. Fact.

Speaking of camping, we had a shocking time. We will never go back to that site again, and we've been going there for years, so it's sad. Some people have no respect for others at all. We did have a couple of days out, we went to Llangollen, and into Wrexham. The highlight of the few days away for me was the picture above. Cod, chips and gravy from our favourite chippy. I savoured and enjoyed every mouthful of this. I also won the tenpin bowling. Don't ask me how. I'm rubbish at anything active or sporty. But I did.

We were meant to be there until Sunday, but we packed up and left on the Saturday morning. I did end up having a couple of bottles of wine (reading while camping isn't the same without a glass of wine), and a couple of pints. We were good however, with the food. Apart from the above fish and chips, and one ice cream after mini golf, we stuck to plan, and we walked.

So, I expected a gain this Monday, but I was quite peed off to see that I'd gained 4.5 lbs. Mr G gained 1.5 lbs but he'd only had a couple of beers on the one night. This Monday, our consultant used the Image Therapy session to give us all a refresher, and I think I needed it, because I've become a bit blase about the plan at the moment. I'm going over on my syns. I'm guesstimating certain things instead of using the SW app. So, this week, I am on it, properly.

But then. We are going away this Saturday too, to Wrexham overnight, as it's North Wales Crusaders last match of the season. Mum is having the boys for us, we have a Premier Inn booked, and it was supposed to be a session. A cheat weekend. We were going to book the Monday off. But now I'm in two minds about drinking alcohol. There's obviously something there that doesn't agree with me when I drink. I take my hat off to all these who cane it on a weekend and still lose weight, but it doesn't work for everyone and it doesn't work for me.

So, we've decided (thus far, anyway!) that we won't be drinking alcohol. We will still go to Everland for a repeat performance of last week's fish and chips (it'll be the last chance we get until next February at the earliest - and maybe not if the club move out of Wrexham next season). We will have a sensible meal at the Fat Boar after the game. And hopefully, because we'll have been so good since Monday, the scales will still register a loss next Monday morning. If I have a gain two weeks on the bounce, then psychologically that's not going to be very good for me.

I have two freezers full of food, and nothing to eat, so I am going through them, bit by bit and making meals and freezing them so we have something in to grab on those days that I don't feel like cooking.

This week's meal plan is:

Monday: Pinch of Nom Cock and Bull (but just chicken) with Basmati Rice (from the cookbook)

Tuesday: Slimming World Fry up

Wednesday: Pinch of Nom Mediterranean Chicken Orzo (from the cookbook) with Chilli and Paprika Carrot Chips (recipe here)

Thursday: Homemade Beef Casserole with baby new potatoes, carrots and sweetcorn

Friday: Pepsi Max/Diet Coke chicken with noodles

Saturday: Away

Sunday: Chicken Madras with half Basmati rice half Indian spiced cauliflower rice

Onward and hopefully downwards...