What a rotten sleep I had last night but it was totally self inflicted!

The moral of this story is don’t take your phone when you get up to the loo at midnight…. Ok I used it for the torch but don’t look the phone and start clearing emails. 🫣😆

I may have mentioned my blogger friend, The Windsor Waffle a few times. She’s been taking a break from blogging and there was one sitting in my email at midnight, so of course, I had to read it. She’s back….

It was called Bye, Bye Blog

🫣

😱

I had to keep reading.

She has decided that the time has come for the end of The Windsor Waffle.

😢

For all of the right reasons (not that there would be any “wrong reasons” for making a decision to stop doing something that you don’t want to do anymore!)…. But…. I felt a sadness like I would never have expected.

I’ve missed her blog these last few months and this one ended with “The End Xx”

I was almost in tears as it kind of took my breath away.

Yes I know I’m prone to overreaction at times but I’m still sharing it as it is.

I literally lay all night thinking about it. Tossing and turning.

Wondering if a time will come when I no longer want to write The Rambling Sloth… what would that feel like?! How could that happen?!? My mind went haywire….

So I want the lovely Windsor Waffle to know that I will really miss her blog, as I have these last few months. I really value her support.

The other lesson here is to show that you may not always know the effect you have on other people. You can become a part of someone’s life through and you might never know it.

I love the kind of people that blogging seems to attract.

Needless to say I slept till 8.30am so did get some sleep!!

I headed straight back to Braehead Shopping Centre this morning as I had some clothes to take back.

I was also determined to get a top to go with my long purple skirt and gazelle trainers…. This is for Melanie’s Thanksgiving dinner in Rome as the end of the month.

This was a mission and a half!

Now that I’m home I think I’m going to go with a top I have already…. 🫣😆

I know the look I wanted… the casual top with the dressy bottom but I hate the big baggy T-shirt look as I think it makes my top half look bigger than it already is.

I bought the sparkly top which I may take back and the second last T-shirt… I already own the jacket. I also bought the long sleeved top but it’s fleece, so may be too warm.

Whew, that was tiring writing about, reliving all that changing! 🫣😆

Craig and I sat down and had lunch together at the dining table. 3 meals together this weekend…. CHECK… US. 🥰. We’ve not eaten together in so long.

I’ve tidied away washing, got 4 big bags for the charity shop, and started packing cases for Rome and Iceland.

I sat down and had a decaf coffee and a couple of biscuits to write this. I started in the sunshine and am now writing by the light of the stove.

Finality sharing Nanea’s Sweatpants & Coffee’s wish for the week ahead.

Like so many other positive Fb pages, she had to negotiate the election fear vs elation this week and had to deal with the fallout on one of her posts. I saw so many positive pages get the same thing…. I love her “May you refrain from lashing out online”….

None of us need that.

If you disagree with anything… just move on. Don’t feel you have to add your tuppence worth to something you disagree with. Just scroll until you find something you do agree with.

I’m so glad the feed is back to positivity though.

Have a great week.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I slept really well.

I woke at 6.50am.

I knew I was on my own for a run this morning and I talked to myself for a while…. I could soooo easily have stayed in bed and not moved. Equally I knew I’d be annoyed with myself if I didn’t go out.

So, up I get and out I go.

I wrestled with the route in my head for ages…. I just wanted to turn around and go home. I tried to run a bit faster than I usually do…. Until I met a dog in Spiers Old School grounds… and it walloped me a big kiss!

Despite stopping for a quick chat, I ran my fastest 5k.

I am so proud of myself.

I can’t believe I managed my fastest run on my own. The girls usually drag me around. I’m so chuffed.

It’s colder this morning than it’s been in the past few weeks but I still ran in just a T-shirt (not “just T-shirt” for those of you who went there!!)

Straight back out with the dogs for a quick run up the hill.

Jeez I took no photos at all this morning! It’s fine though, you’ve seen it all before.

Then back off to the little gift shop and had the best morning. so many lovely people and it was really busy.

If you had told me a few years back that I’d be alcohol free, fasting every day. pretty much veggie and running 2 x 5k plus runs a week, I’d have never have believed you!

My life has changed so much these last few years.

I’m so much more in control of everything I do now.

If I read that paragraph above, about anyone else, I’d think that sounded way too much like hard work. Not drinking, fasting blah blah… Yet for me it’s become such a way of life. It just is what it is now.

I love nothing more than a Saturday or Sunday morning with a hangover. I have so much more time on my hands.

I love fasting. It helps me control my food intake. I’ve found it so easy from the start.

I know what works for some, doesn’t work for everyone but I think I’ve finally found what works for me.

Love this from Tiny Buddha!

I’m having a lazy afternoon with the puppers…. Check Khaleesi’s nose against my leg and her wee legs… bless her.

She moved and got even more cute!

Craig will be home later and we’re doing date night MKII…. As we have so much food left.

It was nice to eat together, we don’t do that often enough.

Hope you all have a great rest of weekend.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I have just seen my first Christmas tree!! In someone’s bay window!! Wow. It’s 8th November. That must be a record.

The old me would have scoffed and said how crazy that was… the new me secretly loves that they have thrown caution to the wind and just done exactly what they wanted to do.

I have had the loveliest day today.

I have felt excited and full of gratitude and joy today. It’s a lovely feeling.

I was up and out with el doggos at 7am. it was just getting light so the pic is a bit blurry.

We had a lovely walk and I felt like I completely decompressed after a few days of sensory overload.

There’s not a breath in the air…. It was so calm. I usually walk a loop but I came back on the country roads as the main road seems busier today as there is some diversion on.

I’ve been in the little gift shop all day.

I have had such a lovely time and spoken to so many lovely people.

I cannot tell you what a special place that is. It’s such a positive experience. Everyone is so lovely and all have nice things to say. There’s no stress, no moaning., no complaining. I love it.

I took some photos before it opened.

It’s full of lovely things.

It was a very busy day which is great too as I feel I’ve been a help.

I’d said to Craig earlier in the week about having a sit down dinner together tonight as we haven’t seen each other in ages. We seem to do everything separately these days.

So date night it is…. The Nozeco is open, I’ve red roses and a lovely spread on the table. My Craigie doesn’t do anything by halves.

Off to enjoy ourevening.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I’m shattered this morning. I was only an hour later in bed but jeez…. I feel hungover and that’s really unfair!!

I had a lovely evening with Gayle. We haven’t caught up in a while. We drove out to Largs.

As ridiculous as this will sound, rhetoric road to Largs was terrifyingly dark. My night vision is rubbish these days. I never thought I’d be that person. I was a bit anxious but breathed a sigh of relief once we were there.

Too dark for many photos.

I did say at the time, jeez how many photos do I actually have of this Largs to Cumbrae ferry 😆

We went to Wetherspoons in Largs for £1.56 hot chocolate refills!!

We ended up having some chips and garlic bread too and it’s so cheap. It did the job…

We had a great catch up and both commented on how much we enjoyed it despite never wanting to go anywhere at night 😆

I’m out again tonight to meet Lea. I’ll need to caffeine up 😆

I’ve been fine all day to be fair, really busy at work which has kept me going.

So I’m meeting Lea in Silverburn Shopping Centre tonight, as we do!

It’s dark already and it’s not even 4.45!!

Having a lovely catch up!!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I’m back, it’s really me…. 😆

I had a fantastic sleep last night but I still found it hard to get up for a run!

It was smirry rain all the way this morning and I had to take my glasses off so that I could see.

As is always the case, on a faster run, I wish I’d been able to keep going all the way but I had to walk to get my breath a couple of times. It was a really good time despite that.

I’m pleased to say I was way more focussed at work today than yesterday. I forgot I didn’t write yesterday, I had such a foggy head. I felt quite dizzy and couldn’t think straight.

I’m not sure if I was really dizzy or not, I’ve live with it for that long. I definitely felt a little spacey while I did a stock check at work.

I’m sure the run this morning helped a lot.

There’s always great chat and motivation.

I’m not meeting the Crochet Hookers tonight as I’m off out to meet Gayke. We’ve not caught up in ages….. that’s why this is a quickie.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

November is Men’s Mental Health month.

I think about this a lot. I know I have a few male readers (check me sounding like some accomplished author but you know what I mean!)

I often wonder what men think when they read all of my ramblings. Are there days where I just tell far too much and they think “jeezo, shut up woman” or do they actually learn something about a woman’s mind? Then head for the hills 😆

Look at these stats published… they are huge.

In the last year I have watched a good few period dramas and realised how much our lives have changed in such a short number of years.

Our grandparents parents grew up in a time where women sat around sewing and playing the piano. Men were in charge of everything and could show no sign of weakness. I can’t believe I had no idea just how different their lives were. It had never been on my radar before.

Fast forward and women now do everything that men do and still get upset that the are not recognised in the same way as men.

I used to earn £15k less than my counterpart at work (he let that slip one day assuming I was on the same)…. And I worked WAY harder than he did… trying to prove myself in a man’s world.

Society still expects men to be the strong ones. I am generalising here but in my experience they are not encouraged to show any signs of weakness and that really needs to change.

It’s ok for everyone not to be ok. Not just women.

It’s socially acceptable for women to talk about their mental health. It’s socially acceptable for women not to be ok and society needs to change to allow men to be more open.

I know I can’t change the world but I’ve always said if one person gets something out of this blog then it will be worth it.

Men need to talk. I know that when you feel really low, you feel so much better when you finally tell someone about it.

It’s good to talk….

I’m not sure this hit what I really wanted to say tonight…. I feel really strongly about this but I’m struggling to put in into words.

Don’t bottle things up….. spill them out.

I, for one, will always listen.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I woke at 4.30am but must have gone back to sleep as didn’t wake until 8.30am! That doesn’t happen often. I had a great sleep though.

I decided to head up to Braehead Shopping Centre first thing.

I’m looking for wide leg jeans for a change. I feel I have nothing different to wear and keep picking the same grey tartan joggies every time I go out… I needed a change.

I started off in Marks & Spencer.

This is “model’s own clothes” 😆 to start off with. I love these M&S combats I bought a few months back… I’d like them in other colours but they slate grey is sold out and there’s only a beige which isn’t really me. I got the little khaki jacket at the market in Verona. I’m really pleased with it.

I loved these jeans…. So different for me. I’ve worn skinny jeans most of my adult life. That’s a whole lotta years.

They just felt really comfy so I did buy them.

I liked these but there was a lot of material around the stomach. They are comfy joggy material.

These were too narrow and too short. they are denim look joggers.

The jumper was nice but too pricey…. This was a size 10… they are obviously very big make. I did t realise that M&S are now selling White Stuff so this was £65.

This was pretty and matched my phone but not really my thing anymore.

So then on to Primark….

I really randomly bought this skirt. I am not a skirt person anymore. This was sitting at the entrance to the store, on its own. It’s a size 16 so a size bigger than I would go for, but I thought I’d chance it as the colour is identical to the stripe in my trainers. I couldn’t find it anywhere else in the shop.

It is soooooo not me, but I loved it. I think I’ll wear this to Thanksgiving dinner in Rome with a black top.

Then I tried the comfiest trousers in the world….

These are like a soft fleece material. I love them!! I got them too.

I do not suit the new barrel shaped jeans.

So I didn’t get either of these.

I had a lovely wee trip. Also got a cropped dark grey cardy in the New Look sale… half price.

A very successful wee morning out.

I came home and walked the dogs… it’s been smirry rain all weekend. I have to take my glasses off as we walk or I wouldn’t see a thing.

The dogs are filthy after just a long lead walk… the roads are really dirty with all the rain. They look in every field on the way past, as if to say, can we go in there for a run?!? Not likely in that mud!!

It got me out for some exercise and it had the desired effect on the dogs.

So I’ve had a really lovely weekend. I’ve done nothing but I’ve allowed myself to rest and managed a wee shopping trip.

This from Sweatpants and Coffee… a great wee follow.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I woke at 5.30am but fell back to sleep and woke with the alarm at 6.45am.

I’d decided to run with the girls because I didn’t feel dizzy at all. I didn’t really want to get out of bed but I knew I’d feel good if I did.

I really enjoyed the run this morning. When there’s a group of us, we chat and I’m not as focused on my breathing… unlike yesterday.

We came to a point where Rachel decided she wanted to run further and I thought I’d go with her. I did it but I got tired though!!

We got back into the village and 4 of them decided to continue but I knew I had to call it a day. 😆 I did 7.7k !!

I’m pretty pleased with that especially after the 6k yesterday.

Lynsey, far left (I do mean far right as I reread this…… I’m so bad with my left and right!) I hope you’re all having a great weekend. had already run 7.18 MILES BEFORE she met us. We met at 7am… can you believe that?!? She’s a running machine. 😆

So then this slightly slower running machine when out for a run with the dogs. Now it was slow…. If you’re squeamish skip this sentence but there were 5 poos this morning on our walk and that takes time…. 😆

All in all I did over 10k!

I also logged my 100th activity in Strava… the running app.

I love Caladb’s eyes on this next pic… I see you mumma, she says. You can also tell that Freya is moulting like crazy… it’s all over her lead. 😆

So all of this was done before 9am.

The rest of the day is mine. I have no plans today at all.

Craig and I sat and had coffee and looked for some stuff on Vinted for a while. I really enjoyed our wee “shopping” trip. I also had a real coffee… check me….

I dropped Craig at the train station as he’s off to meet friends in Glasgow

I have had a lovely afternoon with the puppers. I’ve finished Nobody Wants This and I’m now watching The Burning Girls…. (Mum likes my tv recommendations but you might want to watch this in the daylight mum!!) I’ve two episodes to go and it’s getting dark 🫣😆

I hope you’re all having a lovely weekend!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

The 1st November eh?! How on earth did we get here?!? I’m still waiting for summer. 😆

We woke really early this morning. I had my Vertigo “manoeuvre” at 10.15am. I don’t know why I put that in inverted commas… 😆

I figured I wouldn’t feel up to running with the girls tomorrow so, at the last minute, I decided to head out for a run by myself, this morning.

By myself…. For the first time…. And I ran about 6K!!

Of course I forgot to start my watch until I was at the end of the road…. I did it!!’nn

I also completed a Strava challenge I joined yesterday, to run 5K in November. I love that I’ve done it within a few hours of the first day of the month. 😆

I took lots of action shots but most of them are rubbish 😆

Straight into the shower when I got home so I was ready for the docs really early.

Just as well… Elaine my hairdresser text at 9.15 to say she was expecting me at 9am 🫣😆 I thought that was tomorrow!

I literally flew across the road and almost hurdled her gate… yes my hairdresser lives right across the road, thankfully! village life eh?!

She had 45 minutes to wash, cut and blow dry my hair! No pressure. Such a shame we had to rush it…. I only get my hair cut once a year and it was over before I even had time to think about it.

Straight in the car and straight to the docs. Craig had to drive as I can’t drive home after it… or for 48 hours afterwards.

So….. I was nervous and I told the doc I was nervous. It’s not been bad since the last time I saw him and he wheeched my head about to prove I had Vertigo.

He said it was totally my choice whether to have it or not. I remembered how bad it had been in Dubrovnik and decided to go for it.

I felt nothing through the whole procedure. Not a flutter. Nothing. No dizziness at all.

He thinks there’s a chance that he fixed it all in the test he did the other week. I was really dizzy after that.

So all good. Except I shouldn’t drive all weekend. Just in case.

I can do that.

So I’m home by 11am and have the rest of the day ahead of me.

I’ve tidied, put away washing and hoovered the house. I have some rooms still needing done but I just sat down about 2pm.

I watched the last episode of the wonderful Nobody Wants This. There’s a second season coming… what a lovely show. I highly recommend it.

I watched a movie while Craig took Khaleesi back to the vet for another Librella injection for her sore leg. She’s been limping a bit today so it’s good that she was getting the jag. It seems to really help her.

Oh I did ask the doctor a lot this morning about my anxiety. He seems really approachable so I asked if he had any medical recommendations for when the anxiety is really bad.

He did say I could up the HRT or try a different med called Propanol.

The more I spoke to him, the more I realised that the things I do are fairly worthy of a bit of anxiety. Maybe that’s ok… maybe that’s just how it has to be just now.

Most of the things that we really want are on the other side of fear.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️