Day 39 - Senses heightened

[nsd_user663_62465]

Hiya folks

Im back at work (4 days) from being off on annual leave (2 weeks). Was able to get the bathroom painted and then spending time with my son & sister and niece was the best tonic of all. My sister and niece arrived on Friday afternoon and left on Sunday evening, so was a bit of an anti-climax after they left. Boo-hoo-hoo, sniff, sniff.

While here, we took the trip down to Portrush as they hadn't been in such a long time and on the way back we then went to Coleraine to meet up with our Mum and her partner to have tea at a Chinese restaurant. Twas very enjoyable.

Bought 5 bags of dulse (last day I was down with my boyfriend I bought two and they were eaten within a few days - yum-yum (one bag finished, second one open - "fresh dulse, fresh dulse" says I with the loud inhaler, (giggling here). Reminds me of days gone by when I was little and a fishmonger used to come into our street in his wee van while shouting his wares "fresh heron, fresh heron!!" How times have changed. I know someone recently asked me about the dulse and yes it can still be bought.

While in Portrush we went to Barrys and the kids took in a few of the rides, (oh lol, so did us big kids) . Also went to Phils amusements, cashed some pound coins into 2 pence pieces and gave some to the two teenagers and had a go myself at the one arm bandits. Didn't win anything, got bored and silently swore inside my head as the chinese guy sitting beside me won the jackpot twice. Awh the smile he adorned as he won, the 10 year old was jumping out of his seat as I falsely smiled back. Awh gawd, ye can just imagine it (I'm giggling as I'm typing here lol)

Also called into the old sweetie shop where I bought some fudge for my boyfriend and iced caramels for myself (the white and pink iced coated caramels - I'll bet I'm making some of your mouths water) and some sugar candy tobacco and wait for it, 'Whoppers!' - those were the chocolate chewy logs you used to buy for 1p per strip. they're a damn lot dearer now than they used to be, a pound for 10 strips, eek! Folks ain't the old sweeties the best ever? And. . the flavours of everything are loaded compared to what I used to think I tasted before I gave up smoking. All senses seem heightened.

Its amazing what you actually smell now aswell. On Monday when I was out walking, a smell I reminisced about from when I was wee. I just couldn't put my finger on it though but it was something like . . . the pokes --> (ice-cream cones) you used to get from the ice-cream van outsidey sort of smell with the ice-cream van engine chugging. I know, its seems im confused but I haven't smelt that sort of smell in such a long time. And there was no ice-cream van in sight. Weird. But you know you smelled that smell when you were wee so it triggered a thought from the past from all those years ago. It made me smile as I forced myself to inhale the flavour of it and breathed it in before the actual scent dissipated. I felt like a wee doggy chasing a scent with my nose in the air sniffing wildly. Awhhhhh!

Anyways how is everyone doing? I went to the gym on Tuesday evening for my first step aerobics class. Amazingly I did ok (in the lung department) except for ... well maybe more than a few co-ordination dance move mistakes I made as I wasn't used to the choreography of the dance instructor. I giggled to myself as I tried to manage the rotational steps on a north, east, south, west, around the step board set of moves - step up front step down side step up side step across down opposite side, etc etc ye can imagine the craic as im on the east side of the class at the end and as we get to the east moves it looks like Im the gym instructor at the front taking the class, and I lose it with the co-ordination as Im not yet used to it being my first class and all that, awh folks, well I'm sure ye can imagine the most of the class lost it and everyone started to giggle as the dance moves got haywired (mixed up). Just aswell I'm not that easily embarrassed as I press on giggling and say "sorry folks, gimme six months" Awhhh flip, ye've no idea with the fun I had for the last 15 mins at high impact. It took me all of 6 seconds to put the equipment back into closet it came out of and exit the building!! Oh and I've booked for next week. Cant wait. :D:D:D

Anyway, my family are delighted that I've stopped smoking. Im just realising something. Nobody sitting at the table in the Chinese restaurant was ..... is a smoker. Out of the 4 adults, 3 are now non-smokers. My sister never smoked. Mum has given them up 10 years past last month. Wow! And my mums partner has stopped over more than a year ago. Well done! Myself 39 days. Im very pleased.

Laters y'all

Paula

Breathe free and stay safe

[nsd_user663_60964]

Welcome back Paula- so glad you had such a lovely holiday. I did enjoy reading your post (we did miss you). It was me who asked about dulse. I was dead envious when I read about you eating several bags of it. I could positively smell & taste it (your post was marvellously tactile & evocative by the way- like a scratch & sniff card! )

You're doing SO well and I can tell you're steaming towards the Penthouse.

Have a lovely weekend won't you? I shall keep my fingers crossed for some sunshine.

[nsd_user663_62294]

Hi Paula

Pleased to hear you are still going strong. Sounds like you had a fab holiday too. I love Sweets, on our recent holiday I went in numerous sweet shops in Liverpool, yes expensive though!

I have never tried Step Aerobics, my co-ordination is not the best, the last Aerobics class I went to was embarrassing, I was forever going the wrong way.

[nsd_user663_62294]

By the way - what is dulse?

[nsd_user663_60964]

It's a variety of sea-weed which grows prolifically on the north coast of Northern Ireland. It's sold in the summer months up the Antrim coast and Portrush (it is sold dried in paper bags, or used to be at least). It's really moreish in a way that's hard to describe (that 'unami' sort of flavour, like miso soup or shrimp paste). You can't stop chewing it.

[nsd_user663_62465]

Hi there

Dulse is a dried seaweed, coloured purple and salty to taste. Its full of vitamins and minerals. Healthy to eat as a snack (but you couldn't eat a lot of it - it can be very salty :eek but those with a high blood pressure would be told to avoid it because of the sodium content. I would only eat a piece of it now and again and it takes ages to break up in the mouth (a bit of a slow chew) . I love it. Its an acquired taste.

[nsd_user663_62465]

Hi Skiddaw girl,

If you private message me your address, I would send you a bag.

The ones I have aren't in a paper bag, they are completely sealed in a plastic bag with no opening if you're interested. You have to pull it open if you get my meaning. I would let one go lol.

[nsd_user663_62465]

And thanks people for the welcome back

Very nice x

[nsd_user663_60964]

Hi Skiddaw girl,

If you private message me your address, I would send you a bag.

Paula, I've PM'd you

Most kind!