Thank you, Cat People
… for your fab and funny comments on the last post. I learned a lot, too. Who knew there were microchipped cat flaps that only let in the right cat?
I think the cat must have sensed all the adoration coming its way as he’s been extra aloof this week. No interest in affection; too busy trying to catch insects and snoozing on the shed roof. (Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl)
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - July 22, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Everyday Life Source Type: blogs
The borrowed cat
I’ve fallen for the cat next door.
Until now I never understood Cat People. What is the point of cats? They’re so indifferent to you. They don’t seem to care if you’re alive or dead, as long as they’re being fed.
But then the black and white fluffball above moved in to the little house on our left. It immediately started a turf war with the evil green-eyed cat that lives to our right. The battle ground? Our tiny back yard.
Both of these cats share their humans with a dog, so I can understand why they’d fight for the right to lounge peacefully in neutral territory.
After a few weeks of ...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - July 15, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Everyday Life Source Type: blogs
Everyday Life: June 2014
While the whole melanoma thing was going down I kept thinking, I mustn’t forget how this feels once I get through it. How life got vivid and simple, every detail amplified and important. How I felt present and appreciative and determined to send postcards to my grandparents more often.
It was like when I started going out with Gareth and I bought lots of fancy knickers and vowed, I’m always going to wear fancy knickers! I’ll never take this for granted!
Then the mundane sneaks back in and work is a bastard and next thing I’m buying a multi-pack of undies from Marks & Spencer and/or fo...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - July 8, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Everyday Life Source Type: blogs
Cape Wrath + the remotest public toilet in mainland Britain
Cows on the beach, Durness
The third day of Northern Jaunt consisted of exploring the fluffy edges of the west coast. For such a relatively small area – at some points we were barely 60 miles from Inverness – the contrasts in the landscape were mind-boggling. First we headed north from Kinlochewe, along Loch Maree then around the coast to Poolewe then taking the slower coastal route back down to Ullapool. We lucked out with another fine day so could take in all the grey jaggy mountains, white beaches and stonking sea views, with no company but the occasional campervan or motorbike.
We took a spontaneous...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - July 1, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Travels Source Type: blogs
Escape to the north
The foxy Loch Maree
Last week Gareth and I went on a four-day jaunt around Skye and north-west Scotland. We lucked out with 75% blue skies. Between this trip and Islay last July, I feel like I’ve used up my Good Scotland Weather allowance for life!
I don’t know what possessed us to plan 850 miles of driving in such a small time frame. Some of those miles were due to a ferry cancellation, but every time we stopped in yet another stunning, chilled out locale we’d say, “Why the hell didn’t we just stay here for three nights?”. I think it’s a hangover from my backpacking days when I...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - June 24, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Travels Source Type: blogs
A very small shark bit my arm – Part 3
Continued from Part 2
This is typed up stuff from my journal. It took a week of voice dictation bumblings before I remembered… hey, you have one good hand and a selection of PENS!
Waiting – Week 2
If you tell people you’re sensitive to the sun they kind of roll their eyes as though you said, my cat can only eat filet mignon.
But I promise it’s no exaggeration to say that I burn extremely easily. The sun glares down over Australia with special kind of harshness. That is no country for Fitzpatrick Type 1′s. During the Oz visit last April, each time I stepped outside it felt like my skin had c...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - June 6, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Everyday Life Source Type: blogs
Up & Running June winners + a consolation discount
Thanks for all your giveaway comments! If you missed out but would like to join us next week, you can use the code RIPWALLY at checkout for a nifty 20% off until Monday. This discount also applies to Up & Moving, the perfect course if you’re new tof fitness or getting back in shape. You can kick my butt while you’re there (I’m on Week 2!).
Here are the lucky winners as declared by the Random Number Generator:
Puja
Amy
Andrea P
Rachel
Judy
Eva
Congratulations, folks – I’ve emailed you with the details. Please get in touch ASAP to claim your prize.
(Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl)
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - June 4, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Up & Running Source Type: blogs
Intermission… giveaway time!
UPDATE: Apologies to those who tried to comment earlier when I had comments disabled for this post. Derr Shauna!
Thank you for the kind comments on the shark posts. It’s been good to let it all out!
With all the melanoma wafflings, I nearly forgot to do my Summer Up & Running giveaway and the courses start in just over a week. So, do you fancy training for 5K or 10K glory with your own running coach? And a devoted cheerleader? (that would be me)
Our 5K Beginners Course starts on Monday 9 June and the 10K Course starts on Thursday 12 June, each going for eight weeks.
What’s it like to run wit...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - May 30, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Up & Running Source Type: blogs
Barcelona, smoke and whisky
Last week I was in Barcelona for an Up & Running workathon with Julia. As always Gareth sniffed, “Away on your holidays again, eh?” but right now we have a big project with a short deadline. When your business partner lives in Italy, no matter how brilliant Skype and Google Docs are, you need proper face time once or twice a year to get things zipping along. And some tapas. Tapas help the creative process.
But before the work was the small matter of Julia running the Barcelona Marathon, along with two wonderful Up & Running alumni Paula G and Paula P. All three did brilliantly. As did the U&R cheer...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - March 25, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Globetrotting The Whisky Project Up & Running Source Type: blogs
Up & Running March winners
Before I get to the winners, would you get a load of our sw.y brand new video? It explains in one minute flat, what Up & Running is all about. I can never quite capture the goodness in words, but the video really brings it together. Sniff sniff.
Thanks for all your giveaway comments. Not only were they excellent answers but I’ve got great fodder for the Netflix queue!
Here are the lucky winners as declared by the Random Number Generator:
Penelope – wants to go to Washington with the West Wing folks
Julie Earnshaw - “Bon Temps, Louisiana – because I’ve never seen a chubby vampire yet, and Iâ€...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - March 6, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Up & Running Source Type: blogs
The very hungry shark
It’s midnight and I’m just back from dinner. It was a lovely night out on the Black Isle. No light pollution out there so there were a gazillion stars. Plus there’s always an assortment of dogs around at the brewery. Tonight I counted three Jack Russells, two spaniels (one of whom was excellently named Daniel) and a pointer.
I so miss having a dog – I spend way too much time sighing over the Australian Working Dog Rescue Facebook page – but for now I get my fix patting the brewery hounds, without all the faff and hairs of owning one myself.
In case you’ve never had reason to stare at a m...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - March 4, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Living In Scotland Read and Write Source Type: blogs
Up & Moving – a new course for beginners + giveaway!
It’s been a good six months since I’ve put my fuschia pink pimp hat on, but with Spring cranking up it’s time to talk Up & Running!
This week we launched Up & Moving, the course I’ve been busting to create since we started U&R three years ago. We’ve had so many requests for a step between the couch and the 5K Course. Plus, as one with a dodgy knee, I’ve kinda had “course envy” and wished there was something I could properly join!
Also, I’ve never forgotten how I felt back in 2001 when I started out getting healthier. I was overwhelmed, intimidated and had n...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - February 28, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Up & Running Source Type: blogs
The long dark winter of Netflix
Since we had to give the telly away I’ve discovered a new life without the box. With all this spare time I’m writing poetry, I’m doing a hundred push ups at sunset; I’m trimming bonsai trees. Except that is a lie… I’m gorging on Netflix.
The first obsession was Twin Peaks. Gareth had seen in it high school but was foggy on the details, whereas I’d missed it completely as back in those olden days our telly didn’t have the channel that it was screened on.
My prior knowledge was the image of Laura Palmer, blue-lipped and wrapped in plastic, as gleaned from my stepmum’s TV ...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - February 24, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: What's That On The Telly? Source Type: blogs
Somebody call National Geographic
Today we went to Dores, a village on the south shore of Loch Ness. The premise was to go for a walk but we both knew it was really about getting a scone from the Dores Inn. Gareth went on a wee bike ride to Dores last November and stopped at the Dores Inn for a chocolate chip scone and has been going on about its tastiness ever since. Gareth never goes on about carbohydrates that are not beer, so I knew it must be special.
So we walked for half an hour, icy wind numbing our faces, until the token effort had been made. We headed to the pub, only to be thwarted by approximately 475 people crammed inside… nae room at th...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - February 16, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Living In Scotland Source Type: blogs
Sheep on neeps
Over the past few weeks I’ve been enthralled by the sight of sheep feasting on fields of turnips.
Forgive the shitty phone pic
Forget fox in socks and cats in hats, Dr Seuss missed a trick with these fellas.
Who eats whose neeps?
Sheep eats Sue’s neeps.
Who sees who eats whose new neeps, sir?
You see sheep eat Sue’s new neeps, sir.
Well, yes, that utterly stinks doesn’t it.
But anyway, on one particular farm I saw on the Black Isle, they’ve grown a big field of neeps and fenced it into sections. Then they let the sheep run riot in one bit at a time. I dunno why I find it so hilarious and wond...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - February 10, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Living In Scotland Source Type: blogs
