I am enjoying having Mondays off work this summer.  It didn’t matter that I was home late last night as I could have a lie in today so not only do I get to have Monday off but I can maximise Sundays too.

Feeling inspired by my sister Abi, who has just lost 2 stone and looks amazing, I intended to try her regime which involves having a juice for breakfast.  I ran out of time to make it though so had half a mango and some ham instead. We were meeting Lucy and Oscar at Bodiam Castle for a long walk so this was the dogs first ride in their new car.  They hopped in enthusiastically and no wonder as they have not been out in a car for about 4 months.  There was plenty of space in the boot for them and there was no lip for them to have to hop over so this was an excellent and dog friendly choice of car. We had a lovely walk in the sunshine through the Kent countryside. We walked along beside the river bank. We were walking in a large circle around Bodiam Castle which you can just see in the distance here. At times we had to clamber up and down the bank, hunting for the path which was all good exercise. I think we walked for about 2 hours.There’s the castle.
I haven’t been here for years and had forgotten how pretty it is.  It’s a real fairy tale castle and should have a Princess living in it. I was quite pink/sunburnt by the time we got to the coffee shop and I really enjoyed a cold drink and leisurely chit chat. Back at home I had plenty of time to potter about in the garden.  Lara planted these sunflowers when she was home during the Easter holidays.  She actually planted them the day she left to drive back up to Durham which would have been at the end of April. In less than 3 months, while she has revised, taken her finals, graduated and started work, those little seeds have grown in to these huge sunflowers.  They are beginning to flower. The size of them is incredible. These purple beans keep on growing. I had a banana while I cooked supper as I had eaten nothing all day except the mango and ham. We had a simple but very delicious supper of monkfish, potatoes from BJ’s garden and beans from our own.

So I did not quite eat as I intended today but it was healthy and there wasn’t much of it plus I did a long walk.  When I weighed myself tonight I had lost 3 pounds in the last week so I am pleased about that.