Meat Monday (9th Feb)

It kind of feels wrong to keep calling it 'Meat Mondays' as I now seem to be eating meat pretty much full-time, but not sure what other name to use.

Basically, due to the fact most things are bought in packs, it just didn't make sense to only eat meat on Mondays as it would have been wasteful and more expensive than being able to buy a pack of ham and not have to worry about it going off before my next chance to eat it.

That being said, I am still trying to make Mondays the time I make sure to try something new and different, especially for dinner. This week I had a chicken ready meal, which was surprisingly good. And over the past week I had my first hamburger (which was a bit of a disaster as the one time I'm looking for meat burgers, the store only had one kind and lots of veggie options which I've never seen before), which was not so good, so think I'll have to hold off my opinion til I've tried a few more. I've also eaten quite a bit of chicken. Turns out I like chicken, a lot!

However, since eating meat I have put on substantial weight. I'm hoping it was just the crazy sweet pig-out last week as I got a little excited about having so many choices, but it's something I'm going to have to keep my eye on as I'm actually aiming to lose a little weight, not pile it on.

As usual, if you have any suggestions for things I can try (especially healthy options), please let me know in the commens.

Birthday Presents Please

Somehow February has come around somehow I still feel stuck in November and way behind on any possible ideas I could have had.  But most importantly, it is now only a month to my birthday.

While I do feel birthdays should be celebrated loudly and with plenty of cake and sprinkles, that's not why I'm writing a post about it. Two years ago I asked you to donate to AYME for my birthday and got an incredible response.  This year, I'm hoping I will get at least half the enthusiasm of two years ago.

This year I am raising money for Invest in M.E. (IiME) instead of receiving presents. As it's my 27th, my aim is £270 but honestly, every penny donated means the world to me and will hopefully lead to some of my birthday wishes coming true. Admittedly, I don't expect M.E. to be cured over night; in fact I don't expect there to be a cure in my lifetime, though that won't stop it being my birthday wish each year.

I have chosen IiME because not only does it offer information and support to those with M.E. and their carers, but it also invests in very important research. Unfortunately, M.E. research isn't high on the list for investors, which is why IiME is different from other charities. I know research into the causes of M.E., even being able to diagnose M.E., is a long way off (as I said, I don't expect too many break-throughs in my lifetime), but without this research nothing will change.

M.E. is not fun to live with. It has taken almost everything from me; thankfully not my family and a few friends and I'm so grateful for that as I know not everyone dealing with this disability is so lucky. I am not able to work; or dance. I can rarely go out on a whim, go shopping in more than one or two shops at a time(without a wheelchair); or cook a proper meal. Even the things that keep me sane like reading, writing letters, cross-stitching, I can only do for a short period of time.

Because of this, I want to raise money for a charity that focus on researching M.E. in the hope that in the future no one has to live with this misunderstood and sometimes highly-debilitating disability.

I know my birthday wish is a big one, but unless you can magically disappear M.E. from the world, a few pennies is all I'm asking for in the hopes that one day it will become true. I don't care if you can spare £10, £1 or even just 10p - every donation will be the best present you could possibly give.

To donate, click here, click on the button at the top of this site, or donate by texting TEBD88 to 70070

Thanks for letting me ramble, and p.s. I plan to do this every other year with a different charity each time.