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La Traviata and Me

Posted by Mari Jones on April 30, 2008 11:25 AM

You may not have heard from me for some time as I've been busily trying to get some results from the gym.

Although my stamina seems to be improving (I can now walk up a hill without having a near collapse at the top) I haven't lost any weight.

I keep on telling myself muscle weighs more than fat, but as kind hubby pointed out it takes a year to put on a pound of muscle (surely that can't be right?!)

I think my problem is it's hard to get three sessions in at the gym a week. Last night I read an article that Gwyneth Paltrow's trainer reckons you need to do an hour's exercise six times a week!

Who the hell has got time do to that? That would mean I'd come home to a very fed up husband and a child who'd probably forget who I was.

It's fine if you have a nanny and don't have a job but I'd say virtually impossible for the rest of us.

She added that if one of her clients went to the gym just three times a week she'd regard them as slackers!

Three words love "Get a Life". She's also Madonna's trainer so that would explain the bionic woman body.

I've still never met a man who finds her sexy, I think if she looked a little softer they probably would.

Anyway, I was born in the wrong era. Last week I played a courtesan in La Traviata at Venue Cymru.

The dress was fab as the corset made me look as if I had a little waist, it showed off my shoulders and hid my legs.

Women must have looked incredible in the 19th century.

Right I’m off to build a time machine.....

Falling Over Cloudberries in Stockholm

Posted by Mari Jones on April 9, 2008 11:28 AM

My boys and I have just spent three days munching our way around Stockholm's finest cake shops.

Stockholm is my kind of town, I expected to see LA type perfection but instead saw a lot of healthy looking Swedes lustily digging into cloudberry muffins, carrot cake and the hugest cups of hot chocolate I've ever seen.

I was in heaven.

The healthy eating diet went out of the window and I've missed three trips to the gym arghhh.

But as it's an eye wateringly expensive city (we're talking over £20 for a couple of cups of coffee and cake), instead of taking taxis we walked everywhere.

It was great, although as my little one refused to get into his pram and spent the entire time pushing it with me steering it (Daddy wasn't allowed to touch it) we must have made quite a comical sight.

Especially during one instance when he got tired after a couple of miles and had the biggest tantrum he's ever had.

People stopped to gawp and one old man wearing a trilby was so fascinated by this screaming, furious bundle that he stopped, walked past us, stopped again, walked past us and just stared.

I nearly shouted some abuse but instead dived into a shop and left my husband to deal with it. (I know, I know it was terrible thing to do) Jack only calmed down when I carried him the rest of the way and he promptly fell asleep.

Apart from another episode at passport control where I pretended he wasn't my child (well he was loudly protesting about his life at the time) he was an angel, and helped give me a really good workout pushing that pram up those hills.

My legs are still stiff and it was much more enjoyable than going to the gym.

I'm a New Person!

Posted by Mari Jones on March 24, 2008 11:58 AM

The carrot cake is now all but a distant memory as I’ve become a new person.

Yes, no more chomping cakes in bed and when I get home all those Easter eggs that have been given to my son are going to be given away.

That is apart from the Lindt one as that would be too much torture in one go.

Since I’d slipped into a routine of only going to the gym once a week, I knew I wasn’t getting anywhere.

I was using all sorts of excuses not to go, it was too cold, I was tired, I’d exercise at home instead (I did five stomach curls) and one night I even deemed it too windy to go!

Husband would shake his head sadly at me as he’d head off into the dark night for a 30 mile cycle (true).

I’d snuggle next to the fire defiantly thinking there was always the next week.

When I did make my weekly pilgrimage I’d be met with encouragement from the lovely Sean at The Quay, and sarcasm from Ed, who’d say “Gosh, are you feeling all right?” or “I haven’t seen you for weeks!”

It did get boring after a while so for the past couple of weeks I’ve been making sure I’ve been going THREE times a week.

I never look forward to it but soon as I’m there I actually quite enjoy it and what makes it a lot easier is I can watch TV whilst I’m pounding away.

Most of the torture machines now have TV screens installed so I’ve never watched so much Richard & Judy and The Simpsons in my life.

Somewhat strangely I even enjoy the sweating and even Ed couldn’t believe his eyes when I walked in over Easter.

Perhaps the shocked silence was due to his hangover (he had somewhat bleary eyes) but it pleased me no end.

The results are yet to be seen although I’m sure I saw a shoulder muscle the other day.

Anyway, the point is I’m on my way....

Carrot Cake to die for

Posted by Mari Jones on March 6, 2008 3:20 PM

I haven't updated for quite a while as I've been very bad.

I've been to the gym but as everyone knows who has ever been it does get quite repetitive, and there really hasn't been that much to report.

Having a domestic goddess type moment I decided to bake a carrot cake for the first time ever.

I burnt at least 27 calories grating five carrots, and energetically stirring all the ingredients.

An hour later out popped a very impressive cake. I was horrified to find out what went into the cream cheese icing because it really wasn't good for the fitness regime.

Icing sugar, butter and cream cheese were mixed up with a few drops of vanilla, and my son and I took it in turns to lick the spoon.

The cake undoubtedly was a triumph, but the problem was as I didn't have enough visitors around, husband is a fitness freak, babies can't eat walnuts and I felt a bit blue, most of the cake ended up in my belly.

"I hope you're going to put this in your blog," said the kind husband as he caught me in bed (on a very grey Sunday) devouring another huge slice.

Moral of the story is, if you lack willpower as I do, don't make cakes or if you do give them away.

Is Horseriding Just for the Rich?

Posted by Mari Jones on February 22, 2008 9:36 AM

In my quest to get fit and wanting to try something new, I thought I'd try some horseriding.

What could be better than getting out into the mountains with the glorious weather we've just had?

The last time I was one a horse was at Pinewood Stables in about 1991, most children in the Conwy area will bound have been on a horse at Pinewood sometime when they were growing up.

Off we'd go up the mountain in a long line, and the better riders would be taken off for a bit of a trot or canter. I loved it, and it was great for the thighs as they ached for days afterwards.

So I Googled riding stables in the Conwy area and was surprised to see that hardly anything came up.

I knew Pinewood had closed long ago but surely there must be others in the area, especially with amount of glorious scenery we have. How wrong I was.

One place I called said they'd been closed two years, another said they run riding holidays but can't have local people coming in because the insurance would be too great.

The owner said because of insurance problems, if people want to ride they now have to really buy their own horse and go to pony club meetings!

I did find one riding stable who did take beginners but the waiting list is so long, I didn't have a chance.

It's an incredible shame that in this health and safety obsessed country of ours, and our increasing suing culture, things like riding stables are disappearing fast.

Where is this all going to end?

Having a rant

Posted by Mari Jones on February 15, 2008 3:29 PM

I've just been writing the Weekly News Issue on the cheery subject of childhood obesity.

During my research I've discovered health experts are predicting that 50% of children in Wales will be obese by 2020!

I'm still in shock and after talking to health professionals in Conwy, it seems they are fighting a losing battle.

I was having a swim the other day and there was a little girl in the pool, who quite obviously couldn't swim very well.

She was just sort of floating around in the shallow end, not quite sure what to do, whilst her mother was lying on a fold down chair busily reading a magazine.

The mother seemed oblivious to her daughter and hardly even looked up.

Now as a mother myself I know how important a little bit of 'me time' is but wouldn't it have been better if she was in the pool having a splash around with her daughter?

The little girl was also quite overweight but obviously wasn't getting anything out of being in the pool.

One of the big problems health workers has is to get young people to exercise because many don't want to be laughed at if they are overweight, whilst others just don't think it's 'cool'.

Anyway, rant over. I just think some parents need to be more proactive if we are going to avert this national health disaster.

Note to Louisa, who seems fed-up of reading about me doing things at the Quay. How about giving me some ideas about what else I can do to get fit or don't read my blog!


An Uncomfortable Silence

Posted by Mari Jones on February 6, 2008 4:07 PM

IS it just me or do most people feel slightly uncomfortable when you're there relaxing by yourself in a sauna or steam room, daydreaming about something and then when someone else walks in you immediately tense up?

I always feel compelled to say something, usually idiotically about the heat. "Gosh, isn't it hot in here!" The other person invariably nods and gives a polite little laugh and the ice is broken.

I'm also one of those typically British people who will never even go into a sauna if someone else is in there.

I'm just the same if I travel on the train, I'll do anything to avoid sitting next to someone else, it's that British reserve thing.

Anyway, there I was praying no one was going to come into the steam room at the Deganwy Quay Hotel, and in fact was praying quite hard as I had a chipped pedicure circa December 2007, and even worse hairy legs that badly needed waxing.

Then in walks in this Adonis of a man. Great hair, voice and perfect six pack. Now, I'm a very happily married woman but one couldn't help but admire this perfect form.

I cringed and was grateful the steam hid my blushes. I lay there staring at the hairy legs (mine) mortified and then he started chatting away saying that he had come to live in the area after falling in love with Snowdonia (bless), and it turned out he was mad on climbing (which explained the bod)

In the end I was about to pass out with the heat and lust, and got up as gracefully as possible and cooled down in the shower.