Here We Are Again!

Hello everybody. I hope you're well. I'm generally okay, but I've been having days when I've felt like I've got too much to do and too little time to do it in. The stupid thing is, that isn't really true - it's just a reasonless feeling! I wonder whether it's a symptom of the menopause - mum said that when she was going through "The Change" (to be said in portentous tones) she experienced feelings of impending doom: maybe my lot is to experience feelings of impending overload.

I felt very bad yesterday, but forced myself to go out for a walk: it was remarkably therapeutic, and I spent 10 minutes lying on a picnic table, deep in the woods, gazing up at the sky and listening to a tumbling stream somewhere nearby and the liquid song of birds. I came to the conclusion that if I get these feelings again, I will try to mentally list what I feel I have to do, and decide when to do them. That way, I can rationalise that, in fact, I'm not about to be overwhelmed.

So, as writing this blog is oneof my tasks for this afternoon (together with planning tomorrow's 4 hour lesson with a student I've never met before, finishing my ironing and phoning a couple of friends) I shall get on with it.
I've posted both the Giveaway prizes, and both have arrived, one more safely that the other. Unfortunately Fishcake Random's was damaged and part of it lost en route; I hope to make up the shortfall sometime soon.
This week's meals are a mixture of Slimming World, stuff in the freezer and what I fancy! The keenness for following Slimming World was soon lost and I'm back eating reasonably healthily but possibly too much! But I'm trying to walk for 30 minutes or so a day - if nothing else, it helps with my sciatic pain.

SUNDAY (today) Steak and mushroom pie, made with Brick pastry (similar to filo), hasselback potatoes and carrots.
MONDAY: Moroccan spiced vegetables & chickpeas and cous cous

                                                            SOURCE
TUESDAY: Salmon fishcakes, salad (though I'll need to buy some more, as we've eaten what I'd planned to serve with this!!) I'm using this recipe as a base, but adding some smoked salmon too.
WEDNESDAY: Cajun spiced chicken, with spicy rice, raita and griddled vegetables. Though, the recipe's version of coleslaw looks yummy too! We can't get 0% Greek yoghurt here, but I could use low fat natural yoghurt. We'll see how I feel when I make it.
THURSDAY: A version of Kamchatka but made with chorizo and sweet potato as well. We love this dish!

FRIDAY: I don't quite know what's happening. We may be eating at Gilles' house ("a leeetle barbecue") but if rain is forecast we may be eating here. Gilles' girlfriend Sylvie will be there too, as she's staying in St Just overnight, as on Saturday at 5.45 am we'll be getting on the coach to go on the Cyclo Club voyage. We're going to somewhere near St Claude in the Jura mountains

St Claude is the capital of pipe making - I remember stopping there on the way back from a holiday in Geneva, so Dad could buy a pipe (he was a great pipe smoker.)

I'm not going as a cyclist this year - last year I cycled, but this year I'm staying firmly with the non-cyclists, I think. I've not cycled at all this year, and I don't think now is the time to start! So, you won't hear from me next weekend, but maybe at the beginning of the week.

Have a good week, folks!