Dublin Pride 2010

Today I'm off to the Dublin Pride Parade 2010. I'm very excited about this parade for many reasons.

Colour & Festivities 

No one does a good show like a queer and I know the pinnacle of their week long festival will not disappoint. With the theme 'we are family too' I'm dying to see what weird and wonderful concepts, floats and costumes those in the gay community will come up with it.

My Little Brother 

Oisin, is the chairperson of the Dublin LGBTQ Pride Festival 2010 this year and I couldn't be prouder. The perfect, peaceful and prosperous manner in which this years Pride Festival has been conducted and run is a testament to his excellent organizational and leadership skills. He will definitely make a great Taoiseach one day; his life goal.

Photos, Photos everywhere! 

Recently I've been learning how to use an SLR camera; yes I know I am terribly behind the times but there is something exciting about having to wait and see what your pictures turn out like! I'll be bringing my new baby into town today to test out many of the cool features and hoping to snap some amazing pictures!!

If you're about and want some fun pop on down. The parade kicks off at 2pm from the Garden of Remembrance full details on the Dublin LGBTQ Pride Festival 2010 can be found here

It's my birthday!

I love birthdays! One day to totally spoil yourself and get spoilt! Everything can be paused and you only need concentrate on the good in your life! I love birthdays! Can't wait to wake up in the morning and for it all to start.

Happy Birthday Me!!

I have a lump.

Well several if I'm honest. Three that are causing the major concern.

I have to see a surgeon. 

A plastic surgeon; no not for the lipo or boob lift I one day thought possible but for an 'excision biopsy' on each of my lumps. 

I realise

That people have these types of procedures every day and for the most part they are fine. It doesn't stop me worrying though.

A week from today 

And I will meet with the surgeon. Am nervous and staying as positive as I can about this. I realise that the likes of skin cancer isn't as terrible as many other cancers out there and it isn't even the thoughts of cancer that scares me.

What scares me

Is that treatment might eliminate my already limited chances of having children and my appointment with the IVF Clinic is only weeks away. :(

I might be sick

Yesterday was such an awful day it some ways.

I had been worried about myself for a while but was convincing myself it was nothing at all. It didn't work. So I made a doctors appointment.

It didn't go so well. I'm not ready to share what it is yet but I have to collect a referral letter for a surgeon later.

I'm a little worried and upset.

Thank god for Crunchy Nut

Since being put on a wheat free diet there are many foods I'm not allowed; for most like bread and pasta there are terrific alternatives so I don't miss out much. Some of the foods I still do really miss are tuc crackers, sausages, onion rings, biscuits, cakes and a whole host of other things that are bad for me.

For the most part 

I do pretty well, especially when eating at home. I've only ventured to eat out a couple of times and will only go to dinner at friends who I know are conscientious of my diet requirements [for a long time many people thought this was a self imposed diet and not a medical requirement.] 

I had the most trouble with breakfast,

It's never been a meal I particularly liked. For many years I didn't eat it, but I realise how important it is for me to function and for my diet and weight loss. Because of my wheat free diet [and lack of interest in breakfast] I can never think of interesting foods to tantalize my taste buds in the morning. For the most part of I have porridge or toast; not terrible exciting starts to the day.

In the shops yesterday I broke down 

Looking at the variety of cereals on offer and listing the ones that I couldn't have. Of course there are Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes but they just don't do it for me. In utter frustration I stormed off to the milk when James came around the corner holding the 'holy grail'.

Thank crunchie its Friday! 

It his grasp was a box of Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, healthy, tasty, yummy [nice ad] and most importantly WHEAT FREE!!  Am now off to relish in my new breakfast option!

Update TWO to Weight Loss: My Ugly Truth

Week Two is over 

And I am as surprised as the rest of your to report that I have lost MORE weight!I'll admit that this week I was brilliant with the auld exercising at all. I did focus on tummy crunches and thigh crunches [at least that's what I'm calling the thigh ones!]

The results 

I've lost a further 2.5 lbs AND a further inch lost total for this week of 4.5 inches of my body. 

My even 'newer' body stats

I am 5 foot 6 inches

I weigh 15 stone and 6 1/4 lbs [ 216 1/4 lbs] - Total weight loss = 4.5 lbs

I am 46 inches around my belly - Total inch loss = 1 inches

I am 39.5 inches under my breasts - Total inch loss = 1 inch

I am 46 inches around the hips - Total inch loss = 2 inch

My thighs are 26.5 inches - Total inch loss = 1 inches

My upper arms are 12.5 inches - Total inch loss = 2 inch

I feel fantastic! 

And shocked and surprised! In total from March, I have lost 1 stone, as of today! Most of that was due to the wheat free diet was on, but the last 4.5 lbs has been down to my healthy eating and exercise routine of the past two weeks.

Still to go

16.3 lbs, to be achieved by July 31st, 2010 - that's just a little under 3lbs a week - something I haven't achieved as yet but I'm still geared and focused to the goal!

Wish me luck!

Labour Nightmares and Packie Bonner = I'll make an awful mother!

Sex and the City 2

Bet you didn't see this post starting here; an unlikely beginning but its where me and all the girlies got together last night. [Yes I know we're about 2 weeks behind the rest of you but its the only date that suited us all!]

So SATC2 brings us all together, we laugh, we cry, we bawk, we crave and we leave the cinema...

Drink anyone?

We head to our local, pull up on stools and order the obligatory cocktails [mocktail for me - still thinking of the diet!] and of all things start to discuss labour [no not the political party] cause its exactly what you do, drinks in hand when you've just come out of SAT2, isn't it??

Perhaps I should clarify

One of our girlie group has just given birth [5 weeks ago], another is 3 months pregnant and one of the girls announced at the end of the show that she was 8 weeks pregnant ... so the line of conversation isn't to hard to imagine.

Moving to the point

We shock ourselves with weird and cruelly horrible labour stories, drink up and head home. My head hits the pillow and the fun really starts! I start to dream... or perhaps I should say, it starts as a dream and quickly turns to a nightmare...

I'm in labour...

In the dream, now obviously having never been in labour I make it up - one twisted, screwed up labour... the whole time my 'conscious' was bracing itself for the pain, that thankfully never came!

It's a boy!

Unnamed, we take our bundle of joy home. Well not to our home, the 'home' we have in this nightmare. In our 17 bedroomed mansion [I wish!] there isn't room for a Nursery so the baby sleeps downstairs, in the office, in a proper bed, which has been put on top of the desk!

A good nights sleep

I sleep like a baby, pun intended, and totally forget about my brand new off spring downstairs all night, as does my comatose hubby. Morning comes and I hear the baby roars, spring from the bed, head downstairs, roaring baby soaked.

There is not a nappy in sight!

Hand child to husband and go in search of nappies. Husband puts child on garden table. Baby falls off, bounces [yes my baby bounces] queue appearance of my mother.

'You're an awful mother, I can't believe you put your baby on the garden table and haven't changed or fed him!' [Both husband and mother then disappear!]

The ambulance is here
[as occurs from thin air in dreams]

In the form of my friend's little red peugeot, filled with all my friends from the SATC2 outing! We head to the hospital deciding on the way to call into my [dead] granddad's house for a cup of tea and a wee.

We take a wrong turn

And end up in a part of town we do not know and get lost. Urgency for hospital, thirst for tea and need to wee all gone.

Queue Packie Bonner

Who gives us directions and asks us to play football. WHY NOT?? Materialise football field and teams. Fight over cheer leading pom poms

FYI the baby disappeared

Probably just as well considering the mothering skills I displayed! Ps am free for any babysitting jobs! Enquire within.