News

*yawns*

Sorry, I haven't written anything of value in a really long time. I'm just tired, I guess. And I don't have a whole lot to say.

I've been good about sticking to the gym. I go Monday, Wednesday, Friday without fail, and sometimes Saturdays or Sundays. I added leg curls for my hams and quads to my routine (started today, actually), so I now have 9 weight machines to train on, 2 sets of 15 reps each, plus stomach crunches (would be 10 machines, but I can't work out how to use the stomach crunch machine, LOL - and I need to, because they're murder to do without a machine; they kill my neck). Plus stretches and cardio stuff. I'm usually there a good few hours, although admittedly I'm still spending a half hour in the shower. The sauna was finally back on on Monday, too, so I used that Monday and today. I have a mild claustrophobia, plus I hate places that are really hot and enclosed - even if it's a house or something. I can tolerate heat outside, but it's hard for me when it's inside. So there's always this moment of panic when I shut the sauna door. But I force myself to do it, and eventually it'll get better. I am not someone who's willing to be at the mercy of involuntary reactions.

I'm even learning to use that stupid crosstrainer. It knackers my knees if I use it properly i.e. going forward, but I find if I pedal backward it's not so bad, almost like dancing. And I love the treadmill, and the recumbent bikes are fine, although I stay away from the upright ones, they hurt my hips.

I'd kind of like to start using the rowing machines too, I think my back and arm muscles would benefit from it.

All in all, I'm usually in the gym for about 3 hours. Maybe 45 minutes on the weights, 45 on the cardio stuff, a half hour stretching, a half hour in the shower, and a half hour for sauna and changing clothes, both before and after.

I did find out today that I can pay per session for the sunbeds, but the price change is ridiculous. If you pay per session, it's £10 for 10 minutes. If you book a course of sessions it's usually £34.95 for 100 minutes, but at the moment they're doing £34.95 for 130. Even without the special deal on, that's a third of the price it would be if you paid each time. So I need to rustle up £34.95 from somewhere, hopefully soon so I can be nice and glowy for the wedding. Which isn't going to be easy; payday is every second Tuesday, and I got paid yesterday, but nearly all the money has to go back to the bank for the car payment. Unless I go into my overdraft for a couple of days, which I suppose wouldn't be the end of the world, as long as it really is only a few days. Two Tuesdays from now is what, the 12th of August? My car payment goes out on the 9th. So I'd only be overdrawn for 3 days...yeah, if worst comes to worst, I'll have to do that. I may have to do that anyway, because I still don't have a wedding present for Tony and Debbie.

Which is something else annoying. We were going to get them a hot air balloon ride. Tony mentioned it just before Christmas, so I've been looking for literally SEVEN MONTHS for the right one, and I was just days away from booking and paying, when I found out that some jackass gave them one the other week. OK, OK, whoever it was wasn't a jackass. It was a really nice thing to do. But now I'm crazy panicked about what to get them, and Mom can't find the damn wedding invitation with the details of the list on it. (I knew I should have hung onto it, but no no, she wouldn't possibly lose it. Which is now exactly what she's done.)

We found out about the balloon ride on Thursday, at Debbie's hen party. Tony knew that we were planning to get it for them, but Debbie didn't, so she had no idea how we'd feel when she started telling us about the wonderful present that some friends of hers gave them. And of course I had to smile sweetly and gush about what a nice, thoughful thing to do it was, when really I wanted to throw a tantrum right there in the restaurant. What really pisses me off is that Tony didn't think to call me and say, "hang on, better not get us one of those, someone already did". If she hadn't mentioned it, I would have booked and paid, and it's not like you get your money back on those things.

Oh, I don't know. I know I'm being immature about it, and what's important is that they had a great time, but...ehh. Buying them bed linens or something just doesn't measure up to a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

It was a nice hen party, though. We went to Prezzo, which is this new Italian restaurant on Verulam Road. The food was pretty good - not a huge amount of flavour, but nice enough. But I didn't get a starter or a dessert, because I thought that we didn't have enough money, and then Mom DID - and she NEVER gets starters, so that surprised me. And although my linguine carbonara was really nice, my stomach was growling by the time I got to bed. Although I suppose the personal trainers at the gym would be proud of me. And a couple of girls who used to work with Tony brought funny things - little sparklers, and drinking straws with little rubber penises on them, and after dinner dick mints. Classic hen party stuff - not that I would know, I'd never been to one before. Most of my friends are guys.

Anyway, it was a nice evening. And the gym is great, and my muscles are pleasantly sore by the end. And Oli's good too, but it's 5am and I'll have to leave that for another post.

All in all, things aren't bad right now...there's just not all that much that's new to talk to you about.