Thank you so much Tori, it means such a lot to me to have all of this support, and I felt so much better not only getting those feelings off my chest but then reading all the lovely words of encouragement, I feel very lucky to have this amazing community of people who understand, cheer me on and rally round when I'm flagging. I've started the clearance and I'm going t make it a challenge to see what I can make out of some of the clothes I let go of - maybe we could do a group project .... "Rags to Riches" .... hmmmm :)

@@artyfartyannie that is a fabulous idea Annie. Much love to you ❤️

Thanks Jen. Yes, they're yummy, trick is to put twenty of them in the freezer as soon as they cool, so I don't eat the whole trayful! :)

Wow Lynn!! you are doing SO well, blimmin good for you! It definitely feels good just to have taken back control doesn't it? I've been so fortunate to have nothing but love and encouragement from this amazing community, it's a huge help to my own journey and knowing that some of you are walking the same path is brilliant. Have a good week and keep on keeping me posted! :) xo

Thank you Kerry, I really appreciate your support, you're all being so kind, it makes the world of difference to me, thank you xo

So am I Liz, I felt so much bettter for it and all of the lovely kind comments have given me such a lift. As you say, it will pass, hopefully sopner rather than later and meanwhile I'm happy with my progress, I think that's why I was surprised to find myself feeling that way, but I guess I've been asking a lot of myself physically and emotionally. I reckon if I have managed to get rid of craft supplies and books, clothes should be a breeze. I've made a start, it hleps now that I've decided to see what I can make with some of them (the ones that aren't fit to give to charity or that are especially hard to part with for sentimental reasons) - and johnny and I have challenged each other to see what we can make with our old "belly warmers" as he calls them (AKA giant knickers!), at the moment I'm thinking really weird memory bear or art doll, or both - I have plenty of material :D xo

Thank you very much Nickelina, that means such a lot to me :) xo

Oh thank you so much Dawn, it makes a massive difference to me to read comments like this, it really does, and if it's helping other people even in a small way then that makes me very happy :) xo

Thank you Jacquie, that's what it felt like this week, I'm so lucky to have all of you lovely lot keeping me going :) xo

Thank you for your kind and understanding words Helen, it means so much to me that you lovely peeps are taking the time to leave me encouraging comments, it's really helpign me to keep going through thick and, well less thick! :) xo

Thank you so much Diane xo

Thank you so much Carol, it really does help to know that there are others who feel the same and can relate to my experience and it's so kind of you to take the time to leave such lovely comments. I'm so happy you enjoyed the live, Tom and I had a brilliant time, and yes please do comment more - we might miss some of them at the time, but I love to watch it back after and read all the live chat that I missed, sometimes whole comments going on between people in the chat that we weren't even aware of at the time, but it's always fun to read afterwards :) xo

Thank Beverly, I'm sure you can imagine how much difference it makes to me to have all of this support from all you lovely peeps out there, I've been blown away by it! Oh blimey CHF must be really hard to live with and giving up salt would be so difficult - it's worth it though, YOU'RE worth it, and as you say we have SO much crafting still to do! I've had chronic hypertension for many years (funny enough due to Conns Syndrome rather than lifestyle, I was slim and fit when it started), with a couple of resulting problems, and I'm hoping that losing weight will help to keep that under control for as long as possible. I've also had a pre-diabetes blood test result in the past which hasn't been followed up by the GP but does worry me, so hopefully I can reverse the trend. It does feel better to have taken control of the situation at least, I feel like I can give myself the best possible chance. I hope you will soon adjust to your salt-free lifestyle and we'll both be enjoying our crafts for many healthy years to come! Have a great week :) xo

Thank you Susan, I'm glad I made myself do it, you've all made me feel so much better. I've been working on clearing my wardrobe this week - anything judgemental or frumpy is going and I'm only going to keep the stuff I feel good in. I'm going to cut a lot of them up and see what I can make with them, a whole new challenge! You have a good week too, thanks Susan xo

Thank you so much for watching Chantelle, all of the support is such a massive help to keep me going :) xo

Thank you Shell, I really appreciate that, feeling a bit more positive today, but my head's all over the place at the moment - I'm so grateful for all of the support I've been getting from this amazing community, it makes the world of difference. I hope you'll soon find yourself in a better place to focus on yourself, you'll always be welcome to walk alongside me xo

It's awful isn't it Kathleen? if only we could be as kind to ourselves as we would be to a friend instead of always criticising ourselves and assuming everyone else will be doing the same thing. I haven't been out again today, but I did pass a parcel to the postman without hiding behind the door this time and he didn't look at me funny or anything! :) xo

Thank you so much Lindsey, and yes what a huge difference it makes to have my trusty band of cheerleaders alongside me. You're right, it's easy to get inside your head when you spend a lot of time alone, although conversely I do enjoy my alone time, just need to shake myself up a bit sometimes and remind myself that it's ok to feel a bit down, it will pass, that's one thing life has taught me for sure, everything passes. I'm working on the judgemental clothes already, planning to turn them into various textile projects - that'll show 'em! :) xo

Thank you so much Mandy!! I've got cracking on the clearance this week, I think it will be a massive relief once that's done xo

Thank you so much Susan - yes I know, we do tend to be our worst critics don't we? I would never judge someone else as unkindly as I judge myself. I should remember that :) xo

Thank you Pippa yes that's a great idea, I should go out early or later, like early evening, not many people about then and I would look so weird wearing a cardi at least at that time of day :) xo

Thank you so much Lynie! :) xo

@@artyfartyannie 💕💕

Thanks so much Jean xo 😊

Wow, Christine! I LOVED this comment! So true. My internal monolog is horrible. I would never speak to anyone the way I talk to myself! I often don't realize I am doing it. I need to be more mindful of how negative my thoughts can be about my body. Our Annie feeling a wee bit down definitely resonated with me. Your wonderful comment is just lovely! Thank you for reminding us that we need to be kind and patient with ourselves! Bless xo

@@lindseywarren44 I’m really happy it resonated. I read it back just now and thought wow I was a bit feisty but I think I feel very protective of Annie and I look at her and admire her and want her to be able to be in the world and at ease. And I know it’s not as easy as saying bad thoughts be gone but I was reading a quote this evening from a Buddhist nun that a friend shared and it captures my wish for all of us which is to enjoy the deliciousness of every moment including that moment walking down the street: ‘There is a story of a woman running away from tigers. She runs and runs and the tigers are getting closer and closer. When she comes to the edge of a cliff, she sees some vines there, so she climbs down and holds on to the vines. Looking down, she sees that there are tigers below her as well. She then notices that a mouse is gnawing away at the vine to which she is clinging. She also sees a beautiful little bunch of strawberries close to her, growing out of a clump of grass. She looks up and she looks down. She looks at the mouse. Then she just takes a strawberry, puts it in her mouth, and enjoys it thoroughly. Tigers above, tigers below. This is actually the predicament that we are always in, in terms of our birth and death. Each moment is just what it is. It might be the only moment of our life; it might be the only strawberry we’ll ever eat. We could get depressed about it, or we could finally appreciate it and delight in the preciousness of every single moment of our life.’― Pema Chödrön, The Wisdom of No Escape: How to Love Yourself and Your World

You're so right Christine, and I think in a way clearing through my wardrobe is going to be symbolic of that process. I would never EVER be as unkind to others as I am to myself sometimes, I think we can all get like that can't we? Thank you for making me stop and think, I'll be kicking those snotty girl thoughts to the kerb! Also LOVE that quote you shared, what a beautiful way to look at life, and I do try to find joy in the small moments but it's easy to lose sight of and get bogged down in the stuff that really doesn't matter in the end. Thanks Christine xo

Thank you Lisa, and well done to you too!! I think some of the tearfulness is down to a lot of changes and things going on as well as the challenge of the new diet and lifestyle - I'll soon get over meself and I'm really happy that I've stayed on track, thans in huge part to all of you guys cheering me on, I'm so grateful for you all. have a great week, see you next time xo

Thank you Rhonda, I'm going to start on my wardrobe right now, I think it wil help to change my mind set, thanks for your support, it means a lot to me xo

Egg bites, that's good name for them, thank you, I didn't know they had a name! Yes it definitely seems harder now I'm older - partly metabolism slowing down I guess, but also I had become so sedentary. I need a permanent lifestyle change I can stick to even after I reach my target. We can do it Nancy - we're worth it :) xo

Thanks Valerie, I really appreciate it all the encouragement I'm getting on here, it makes the world of difference to my motivation! Ooh that sounds yummy, I think I've had some at a party but haven't made it myself before, thanks I'll try that for sure :) xo

Thank you so much Darlene, I think I feel a difference but not sure I can see it yet - it will be fun to go back to the first videos a few months down the line :) It hadn't occurred to me, but yes you're probably right, I've been changing a lot of things, mentally and physically letting go of a lot of stuff. Great idea about using the old clothes for my crafting - in fact, that could be a whole series of videos in itself! :) xo

It's a struggle isn't it? Years ago I would have been able to cut back a bit and dropped half a stone in a couple of weeks no problem and stayed under 8 stone without even thinking about it, these days it's a very different kettle of fish! I'm so glad we can cheer each other on though, it makes such a difference - onwards and upwards! Have a good week :) xo

hehehe I think I remember that one, I'm going to see if I can find it on YT. I mostly buy clothes either online or in supermarkets, and I never try them on because I can't bear the whole changing room experience, which is partly why I have a wardrobe full of stuff that doesn't fit/suit me at all. Started working on changing that already, I'm part way through my wardrobe clear-out - wish me luck :) xo

Love that! I'm going to do the ame and see what I can make with them - that'll shut them up :)

Thank you very much Rose - I've started on the wardrobe clear-out, and I'm planning to turn some of the clothes into various textile projects, it will make it easier for me to part with them that way I think! :) xo

Thank very much, that's a great way to think of it - it is a massive change I'm making after all and I guess it's bound to take time to adjust, the teariness really took me by surprise but it probably shouldn't have been such a surprise really. Love that name for them, egg bites :) xo

Thank you Carolyn, I really appreciate that and I've already started on the clothes, focusing on the relief of getting rid of them and the satisfaction I'll get from turning some of them into stitchy projects :) x0

Oh Stephanie that is such a lovely thing to say, thank you very much, I really appreciate it. I was saying to someone else just now, I would never judge someone else as unkindly as I judge myself, I think many of us are the same. How lucky I am though to have my band of cheerleaders to keep me going :) xo

I'm hoping that the idea of making them into slow-stitched projects will help me bite the bullet Isobel - watch this space, I've started already :) xo

@@artyfartyannie mmm in ter est ing my dear wstson

Thanks Louise! :) xo

Thank you! It always annoys me when they add sweeteners too, especially as I don't have a hugely sweet tooth, so often low sugar products add loads of sweeteners, way more than they need to, but I have to say these aren't over-sweet, and I'm not aware of them tasting sweetener-ish, so i'm enjoying them - only until they go back up to their normal price though! The new game (OhShape!) is quite fun, but at the moment it doesn't get me moving as much a Beat Saber does - I think once I get used to it and start playing at faster speeds it probably will though, and it is nice to have a change. I've discovered since uysing the Quest caloried counting app that I can pretty much burn off my dinner while I'm waiting for it to cook, and the bonus is that if I'm doing that I can't be having another G&T instead! Will report back about the OhShape when I've got more used to it :) xo

hehe as always you made me giggle Paula and I wonder if the voice I hear you talking in in my head is anyting like your actual voice :) That sounds like a beautiful walk - did Cleo walk the whole way or di dyou have to carry her home? :) xo

@@artyfartyannie Cleo will walk to the beach as it’s 15 minutes away she always gets a treat though once Mr Whippy (ice cream truck with soft serve ice cream) was there and she got a free doggie cone! Yep one very happy Cleo. About 5-7 minutes away from bush get to the last walking bridge before the bush (I love walking to the water fall so pretty) she sits I tuck her into my art backpack 🎒 she is supper happy. While I draw she sits by my side, into backpack walk home after the first bridge she whines and it’s out of back pack happy let’s walk home dog. lol so funny, locals are used to her in backpack she gets pats from them. I think she doesn’t like getting her feet dirty with the leaves and mud in the rain forest or it’s the sound of things she just snuggles into my side while I draw it’s nice as sometimes it’s very brr in the woods (rain forest) also she is terrified of Weka’s which are brown and kiwi looking but we call them wood chickens as they are everywhere, tourists will stop and take pictures going aww look it’s a kiwi! I no longer tell them nope that’s a Weka they aren’t too happy about this. Also I must look strange on the way out I usually have a few pencils behind my ear or worse a paintbrush, yep just me that will do this I’m sure, not to mention my dog in a back pack must look strange, lol I’m an artist what can you expect. Think I need a three wheeler bike and a cape plus a few dead bodies then I could be a detective who paints in her spare time solving mystery’s with my interesting side kick Cleo the queen of free ice cream treats! lol 😜