#kym does Christmas

[stagefoureddiediaz]

I’ve been a bit m.i.a recently because I’ve been setting up Christmas at work and thought I’d treat you all to a sneak peek - it’s taken two days, but I finished the biggest tree (20ft) today I think it looks pretty good!

Just got the rest of the room and house to decorate before we open on Saturday - I can’t wait to show it all to you once I’m done!!

[colesmurf23]

(OC) Caramel The Piplup

Bio: Caramel Piplup

Name: Caramel

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Bisexual (Heavily Female Prefore)

Relationship/Girlfriend: None Yet

Birthday: March 9th

Species: Piplup

Family Members: Chocolate (Mother) Lakisha (Mother) Florien (Brother) Flori (Sister) Lakeith (Brother) Choco (Brother) Lake (Brother) Liane (Sister) Chloe (Sister) Pudding (Favorite Younger Sister) Cholena (Younger Sister) Laki (Younger Brother) Lali (Younger Brother) Chocolaty (2nd Favorite Younger Sister) Reese (Younger Brother) Kat (Younger Sister) Kit (Youngest Brother) Laken (Adopted Youngest Brother) Chloris (Adopted Youngest Sister) Micole (Trainer) Lavonne (Aunt) Brownie (Aunt) Lanney (Cousin) Lakeisha (Cousin) Lakeshia (Cousin) Lanisa (Cousin) Coffee (Cousin) Harshey (Cousin) Pumpernickle (Cousin) Bowie (Cousin) Browyn (Cousin) Brionna (Cousin) Brodie (Cousin) Lavonda (Cousin) Lavonte (Cousin) Hershey (Cousin) Eliott (Younger Cousin) Elliotte (Youngest Cousin) Browny (Adopted Youngest Cousin) Landen (Adopted Youngest Cousin) Cocoa (Uncle) Diamond (Aunt) Diora (Cousin) Coryn (Cousin) Cohen (Cousin) Concetta (Cousin) Diego (Cousin) Campbell (Cousin) Effy (Cousin) Dovie (Cousin) Dove (Cousin) Dusty (Younger Cousin) Bax (Uncle) Carlie (Aunt) Sunlight (Grandma) Snickers (Grandpa)

Personality: Fun ,Playful, Coorapitaze, Compassionate, Resolver, Gusty, and Outgoing

Friends: Yoshino (Best Friend) Jolie (2nd best friend) Zusy (3rd Best friend) Katy (4th best friend) Joshy (5th best friend) Fiora (My bestie's oc and 6th best friend) Grayson (My bestie's oc) Odin (My bestie's oc) Splendor (My bestie's oc and 7th best friend) Muffin (My bestie's oc and 8th best friend) Thura (Our oc) Peggie (Our oc) Kiwa (Our oc) Belanna (Our oc) Cory (Our oc and 9th best friend) Brunette Mozelle (My bestie's oc) Kym Nekai (Our oc) Corrine (Our oc)

Favorite Color: Brown and Gray 80%

Favorite Season: Spring

Favorite Holiday: Easter

Backstory: (TBD)

Fun Fact: Caramel is a very fun piplup. She love playing all kind of games. She mostly likes to play board games with her trainer Micole. and sometimes with her grandparents. She is very playful. Her grandparents. Always loves to play with her. Espelly her grandfather. He love being playful with her. They sometimes likes to make forts. So, her and her grandpa. Plays board games with her. In their pillow fort. Then even sleep together. But however, her grandfather does like to buy stuff for her. She is very cooperative. She love helping her grandma out. With dinner, and getting stuff ready for the holidays. She love helping her grandma. With Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dinner. Because how Coorapitaze, she is. She mostly loves to help out her grandma. She even helps her grandpa. By putting a blanket on her. And giving him his needs. Because how Coorapitaze she is. Even her mother's is very proud of her. For helping out with her grandparents, She can be very Compassionate. As the oldest, she does cares a lot. She also help her parents out with Thanksgiving, Christmas. and Easter stuff to. She shows her feelings, to her parents. Because how much she cares about them. She does the same way with her trainer Micole. She really cares about her ALOT. She love helping out Micole as well. Because how compassionate she is. She is also a resolver Piplup. When someone or something is out of sync. It's her duty to resolve it. She resolve some much stuff. That she even got a reward for it. She even, resolve her younger and youngest siblings problems. Even for her grandparents. She always find away to help out. To resolve problems. And she is outgoing, she can be very social. She love going out, and making new friends. She is very friendly after all. She can be social active, out in the public. She loves going outside.Mostly during the spring and easter. She love protispating. in Easter events. Because she never miss out on any events. Even Halloween. Because she is very social active outside.

Caramel belong to: me And my number one bestie: yoshilover1000 on FA ^^

Reference made by my bestie: yoshilover1000 on FA ^^

Piplup Species: Nintendo

#pokemonfanart #pokemonnintendo #pokemon #pipluppokemon #piplup #piplup_pokemon #piplupfanart #bio

[watchinghallmark]

It’s very hilarious to me that people genuinely think GAC is going to give Hallmark a run for their money. It won’t.

Kym Douglas, clearly bitter towards Hallmark for cancelling Home & Family (which was lucky to last as long as it did), said:

Only 1 of their 22 Instagram posts has gotten over 1,000 likes (most much lower) and they’re under the impression that they’re going to get over 2 million viewers? Not sure where that logic comes from. Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas announcement post currently has 40.7k. Yeah, they must be shaking in their boots! GAC will have less than 10 new movies this year. It does not pose any sort of threat. People claiming they hate Hallmark now and are boycotting will still be watching Hallmark for their Christmas content. No doubt about that.

It’s a shame Rukiya and Dewshane (from the One Winter movies) have a Christmas movie on GAC where they won’t be appreciated by the bigoted audience GAC is marketed towards. They deserve better.

[couldnt-think-of-a-funny-name]

I know in the books it’s already like, a Thing that Percy’s relationship with his godly family seems to be abnormally good- like, Poseidon’s not dad of the year but he’s also made it clear he deeply cares about Percy and has tried to warn/protect him in the past, there’s been brief references here and there that after tlo Percy started spending time in the underwater palace occasionally, he calls Amphitrite his step-mom and says she bakes him cookies and doesn’t mind that he’s messy when he stays over, he brought back that pendant Annabeth wears, little stuff like that- but tbh I wish it would be expanded on more because apart from the fact it’s sweet, it’s also like, kinda funny? when you think about how all the other gods are just. messes. about family. like let me just SEE him interact with his family more, it has such potential. He casually mentions he’s meeting his sister Kym at starbucks later and Jason’s like ‘she sold you out to a giant that wanted to murder you’ and Percy’s just like ‘yeah but that was months ago and dad made her apologize we’re cool now’. Annabeth still hasn’t forgiven her mom for the whole Mark-of-Athena-Suicide-Quest thing and they had a huge fight on Olympus the other day, the first time they had seen each other since the war ended, and Annabeth’s complaining about this to Percy, who’s Iris Messaging her from the bottom of the ocean because it’s Poseidon’s custody weekend. There’s a mandatory parent bake sale at school to raise money for a field trip but Sally’s on a book tour and Paul was prepared to just quit after he set the kitchen on fire, only for Amphitrite to stroll into the school the next day and ruin every PTA Mom’s life. Percy telling his friends to stay out of the water for a few days because he called Triton a bitch in the family group chat and he just wanted them to be careful. Percy trying to figure out if a bunch of Greek gods are expecting Christmas presents or not and wtf to get them if they are. Triton wanting to get Percy back for the bitch comment but knowing their dad won’t let him drown someone so he instead shows up at Percy’s mortal high school and does The Most to embarrass him. Tyson begging Percy to let him help babysit Estelle. Poseidon showing up at Career Day with absolutely no warning and trying not to laugh at Percy’s reaction. Percy getting his dad a fathers day card like he wanted to do in SoM!! Like it’s a dynamic I don’t want pushed to the side as much as it is!!! There’s so much to work with there!!! I want more! 

[looky-here-imma-reading]

Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas: Have a Very Merry Hallmark Movie Holiday by Caroline McKenzie, Foreword by Candace Cameron Bure, Introduction by Rachel Barrett 

4 out of 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟 

Synopsis: 

In Hallmark Channel's official Christmas book, the movie stars share their favorite holiday memories, photos, recipes and special ways to celebrate with family and friends.

Each year, the happy cable hamlet known as the Hallmark Channel debuts a wonderfully wintry mix of 40 holiday films--with an estimated 85 million viewers flocking to the unapologetically feel-good programming. This stunning book, created in partnership with Hallmark Channel and 15 of its leading stars, is packed with 75+ recipes and ideas for celebrating the holiday in Hallmark style. Whether you're looking to earn major bragging rights in a gingerbread competition, make a big batch of cookies for your cookie swap or a smaller batch to leave out for Santa, pick out the perfect tree, or display festive touches in every room, here's how to headline your own holiday.

Participating stars, along with set designers and script writers, include Candace Cameron Bure, Lacey Chabert, Dancia McKellar, Holly Robinson Peete, Debbie Matenopoulos, Cameron Mathison, Alexa PenaVega, Carlos PenaVega, Jack Wagner, Erin Krakow, Ken Wingard, Kym Douglas, Al Roker, Jodie Sweetin and others. Every chapter is infused with Hallmark holiday movie insights making this the ultimate feel-good Christmas keepsake for this season and beyond! 

My Review: 

This book is sort of a mishmash of everything Hallmark does. It covers the making of some of their holiday movies, behind the scenes type of stuff, briefly. I mean Hallmark is famous for their Countdown to Christmas movies. Included in this book are tips for decorating your table, your house, everything Christmas. Also included are recipes for cookies, holiday drinks, traditional foods from Hallmark hall-stars. If your looking for an in depth behind the scenes look at Hallmark's movies, this isn't it. It's an okay read, just don't expect more. I did find some helpful holidays tips that I'll be doing this season. Some good recipes that I will also be trying out. The book is really nicely put together, glossy pages with nice photographs, has a really nice layout. It's definitely a nice coffee table book if you wanted to place it out for display.  

[salvatoreschool]

‘Legacies’ 2×09 Review: “I Couldn’t Have Done This Without You”

Hiatus is over and classes are back in session at the Salvatore Boarding School. Thanks to Josie’s perfect Christmas present, Hope isn’t the only person roaming the halls of the very different school in Legacies 2×09 “I Couldn’t Have Done This Without You.”

It is a good thing Ric is back at the Salvatore School, because he didn’t seem to know what his daughters were up to until it was nearly too late earlier in the season. Josie and Lizzie are allowed to make their own decisions that lead to their own mistakes and/or triumphs, however, they are still minors who could use the guidance of their father.

Most of the distance between Ric and the twins over the past few episodes could come down to certain stories needing to be told in a timely manner. It’s hard to believe the ridge between the Saltzman family won’t lead to something greater.

It is confirmed that psychotic Uncle Kai will be making his way to Legacies at some point next month, so maybe the distance between Ric and the girls along with Josie’s flirtations with black magic will result in a likely catastrophic visit from Kai Parker.

With Kai’s appearance around the corner, it’s hard not to look for connections in the Necromancer’s schemes. Although, Malivore looks to be the overarching big bad for the series so far, so the Necromancer’s weird death competition with Malivore may be the main story in the end. It would be pretty epic if all of the big bads intersect into one giant event though.

Fans of the TVD universe are sure to know that these shows do villains oh so well. Whether it be Damon Salvatore, Katherine Pierce, Klaus Mikaelson, or Kai Parker, Julie Plec and her talented team do a great job of pulling viewers in to the lives of these antagonists. So much so, viewers get just as caught up in the manipulation to like them as the characters within the universe.

2×09 serves as a nice reset to the Necromancer’s origin story, and its budding star is a dude named Chad. Chad seems pretty shallow at the start of the episode, and some may say he remains that way until the end.

Chad is someone who believes in things, even if, like the Necromancer, they are misguided. Chad’s life is taken from him to progress the evil schemes of someone who possesses more power than him and over him. Even though Chad agrees to follow the Necromancer and support him in finding his way in the world, it is clear Chad is uncomfortable with the Necromancer’s deceitful tendencies.

Now, Chad is unlikely to be all that relevant in the expansive world of Legacies, but his manipulative and odd relationship with the Necromancer is comparable to Lizzie’s relationship with the mysterious Sebastian.

Sebastian and Lizzie aren’t the perfect picture of a healthy couple by any means. I haven’t been on their side for quite some time, and the moment Sebastian choked Lizzie in 2×09 solidified my dislike for the pair. Lizzie Saltzman works tirelessly to better herself, and Sebastian wrecks that intentionally or not.

It becomes evident that he knows he isn’t good enough for her when the witches pull it out of him with a special orb. Yet, instead of the doing the work he needs to do to be a better person and partner to Lizzie, Sebastian gives up any chance of redemption. That is if viewers trust that Ric doesn’t kill him by the episode’s end.

Even though, he sort of deserves it. Obviously Sebastian says the inappropriate things to Ric to get a rise out Ric, but Sebastian does not do much to prove that he doesn’t actually believe those things. Sebastian makes Lizzie sound like a conquest to get under Ric’s skin and a cover up to act like he’s evolved.

Sebastian is actually a perfect case study of how vampires are a result of a toxic and dangerous culture that fetishizes the lack of consent and violence. Legacies delves into these issues every time someone like MG questions the status quo and presses the issues of compulsion. Sebastian, on the other hand, exists in that culture and finds it difficult to move through the world outside of it. This is why he can’t align with Ric’s rules, but his complete resistance to even try makes him all the more dangerous.

Sebastian’s main goal as of now is to test the limits of the modern world by manipulating Lizzie. He revels in his ability to control her mind, to have her wrapped around his finger. Lizzie is not a toy Sebastian can play with like an emotional yoyo. When the Saltzman sisters fall, they fall fast and hard. Lizzie deserves someone who will return the favor and treat her with the respect she deserves. Sebastian is not that person. Not yet.

Landon makes a great point when he says, “Sometimes people just need a chance to get things right.” He’s right. But how long do you wait for a person to do so? What if other people could get hurt in the process? That’s why Ric’s choice of whether to kill Sebastian or not is a difficult one.

Alternatively, Hope, Landon, and Josie finally have a chance to make things right in 2×09. They even share a group hug after decorating Hope’s bedroom. It is so great to see Legacies squash the trope that women can’t be friends after dating the same man. Josie and Lizzie are better than that, and their friendship is more important than that.

The show could’ve fallen into a pit and resorted to Hope and Josie glaring at each other from across rooms for the rest of the season. Instead, Legacies once again prioritizes female friendships over the things society assumes will dismantle them.

Legacies is doing so many great things. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season brings.

Other Spelltacular Moments:

Ric calls Lizzie “Liz Bear,” and I’ll never forget it.

Lizzie reads Crisis on Infinite Earths while MG reads The Flash comics. This show is made for me!

Ted the Necromancer working at an ice cream shop with a giant pinky ring is a choice.

The Necromancer calls Ric “the man with the anger issues and the impressive jawline,” and he’s not wrong.

RIPPER. MG.

The Originals fans, did you catch that Vincent namedrop? I know I did.

Kym is back and I couldn’t be happier.

The Salvatore School witches are my favorite.

What did you think of this week’s Legacies? Let us know in the comments below!

Legacies is new Thursdays at 9/8c on The CW.

[kmomof4]

Happy birthday Eileen!!

So today is the lovely @pocket-anon‘s birthday and I wanted to be the first one to wish her the happiest of birthdays! I hope you have a wonderful day my friend! My gift for you is to make a list of all my favorite fics that you wrote and share it with the fandom. Hollye gave me this idea earlier this spring when Kym’s birthday was coming up. I hope you enjoy this little tribute! So without further ado, here we go!

Eileen is one of my very favorite authors and a very dear friend as well! I’m so blessed to have her in my life! You can find the rest of her works here. And here are my favorites:

Scar Tissue Rated E with 20chs. It was either this or Fairytale Beginning that I  first read of Eileen’s work and they are tied for my absolute favorite of hers! Scar Tissue tells the story of a young, wounded physically and emotionally Killian Jones. Once he meets Emma Swan, he realizes he has a second chance at happiness, if only he’ll let her in.

A Fairytale Beginning is a CS Enchanted AU. What happens when the notorious Captain Hook crosses the Evil Queen? He get sent to the city of New York in the Land Without Magic where he meets cynical single mom Emma Swan. Rated T with 9chs. She does plan on writing an epilogue to it, but it is complete as is.

Operation: First Noel Rated E for ch4, 7chs in all. This is a series of holiday vignettes of Henry’s first real Christmas after peace finally settles in Storybrooke. Almost exclusively Holiday Charming Family feels.

Found Rated G one shot Eileen wrote for my birthday last year. Killian’s thoughts after the birth of his daughter. Fortify your heart for this one full of Daddy!Killian feels!

The Long Way Home Eileen’s submission for the 2017 CaptainSwan Big Bang. Captain Hook, the ruthless pirate, is trying to get the lost princess home. The lost princess who has no idea who she is or where she’s from. As they journey toward her home, he comes to realize that her worth is far more valuable than jewels. Rated E with 11chs.

Well, that’s it. These are my absolute favorites of Eileen’s work. I hope you love them as much as I do! Happy birthday Eileen! I hope it’s the best one yet! Love you my friend! 

[americanahighways]

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  Robert Earl Keen came through and played a fun show at the Riverwind Casino Showplace Theatre this past Saturday. It was like seeing that old friend you haven’t seen in years, and trying to remember exactly why you haven’t seen them in so long. Back in Houston, it was pretty routine that if Keen was in town, you made every effort to see him. At least that’s how it was for me. I first saw a young Keen opening for a dual headlining bill featuring Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark at the recently torn down Heights fixture, Fitzgerald’s. The young Keen was promoting his new (at the time) album, “West Textures”. To say he held his own among songwriting legends that night would be an understatement. I  became a fan that night, particularly on the strength of his ability to write songs that dug deep. Songs like  “Mariano”, “Jennifer Johnson & Me”, “Love’s A Word I Never Throw Around” and the now Americana standard, “The Road Goes On Forever”. But Keen was also a clever songwriter with a sense of humor  that would show up in songs like “The Five Pound bass”, “It’s The Little Things” and “Swervin’ In My Lane” (off the earlier “No Kinda Dancer.”). With “West Textures” his career began to hit the fast lane, and Keen followed it up with my favorite album of his, “A Bigger Piece Of Sky”, then “Gringo Honeymoon”. His shows became higher profile, and his audiences grew, drawing a wide variety of cowboys, hippies, rednecks and fratboys. His shows and audiences were at times a raucous party atmosphere, that really seemed to appeal to the fratboys in particular. Now I remember. That particular element became so prevalent and disruptive to what I saw as ‘the sanctity of the songs’, I simply stopped going to his shows around the time of his album “Gravitational Forces”.

So fast forward some 18 years, and I sat myself down in the wonderful Showplace Theatre wondering what might be in store for the evening. I’ve still followed Keen over the years via his album releases, and always really enjoyed them. In particular, I really enjoyed his return to a bluegrass vibe on 2015’s “Happy Prisoner”. Surveying the crowd, still with some trepidation, I was pleased that the audience seemed like the kind of audience that was there for the music, rather than a party. The cowboys, hippies and rednecks were still accounted for, and if there were any fratboys in attendance, they’d managed to mature, at least for the most part. The occasionally hollered “Robert Eaaaaarl!!!” still manages to occupy any quiet moment between songs, though now it seemed more humorous than disruptive.  Certainly, the songs still resonate. Opening with the trio of “What I Really Mean”, “Feelin’ Good Again” and “Gringo Honeymoon” Keen convinced me that I’d stayed away far too long. The remainder of the first half of the set focused on more recent gems like “Ride” and “99 Years For One Dark Day”.

At nearly the halfway point, Keen unleashed a pair of classics with “The Five Pound Bass” and “Copenhagen” enticing audience participation. One of my personal highlight of the evening was the splendid  “Man Behind The Drums” and the accompanying tale of the song’s inspiration, Levon Helm.

The musicians playing with Keen are high caliber indeed. Joined by Tom Van Schaik on drums, rancher Brian Beken on guitar and fiddle, the steady Bill Whitbeck on bass, Marty Muse on pedal and lap steel as well as dobro. Lastly, the fabulous Kym Warner (The Greencards) displayed his mandolin mastery throughout the night. Whether standard mandolin, or an electric variety, Warner really impressed on each and every song. I’m even convinced he added a “China Cat Sunflower” (Grateful Dead) lick throughout “Dreadful Selfish Crime.” Through it all, Keen played guitar like his life depended on it, and constantly flashed that charming REK smile. He hasn’t lost it one bit.

Always a personal favorite of mine, “Corpus Christi Bay” struck a nerve tonight that way a good song will do.  A song that addresses the often separate paths life takes friends or family, it proved to really sum up the evening for me, and seemed to capitalize directly to my nearly two decade long absence.  The evening wound down with a stunning “I Gotta Go,” followed by the obvious sing-along “The Road Goes On Forever” set closer. Keen and band returned for an encore duo of “Amarillo Highway” and “Levelland” before hitting the literal highway once more that thankfully does seem to go on forever. Already looking forward to the annual Christmas run that Keen presents each year. Until then, be sure to check out all things Robert Earl Keen via his web page here: https://www.robertearlkeen.com

Show Review: Robert Earl Keen Delivered High Calibre Show at Showplace Theatre @RobertEarlKeen @riverwindcasino #Robertearlkeen #americanamusic Robert Earl Keen came through and played a fun show at the Riverwind Casino Showplace Theatre this past Saturday.

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Girl, i need to know where you are working, the place looks gorgeous! And the tree is stunning, incredible work!

Awww Nonnie thank you 🥰🥰🥰 I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out this year!!

I work in a historic house in the UK - it’s called Uppark. I’ll do a full walking tour of the whole house once I’ve finished decorating!

[islandpcosjourney]

Nodding off while playing piano!?! Yikes!

8th November 2018

One of the facebook memories from 6yrs ago that came up today was:

“Well that’s a new one! Nodding off while playing the piano in the school wind band! I need matchsticks to keep my eyes open today!”

Little did I know that this was anything relating to my PCOS! I would get tired at work, everyone does, but the tiredness was really affecting my work and I was kind of ignoring it or rather not understanding it coz I genuinely didn’t know why it was happening.

A few months after diagnosis, I moved to Somerset and started a new job at a music school where I was working between buildings and in the boarding house overnight. I’d got a diagnosis, started on the pill then moved so I’d had no follow up with my GP, registered with a new one and that was that, no further help or communication regarding my condition. So when I began to realise that I wasn’t able to burn the candle at both ends (Get the girls out of bed at 7am, supervise them at breakfast then go to work all day, come straight back to the boarding house and be on duty from either 4-7 or overnight) I started becoming suspicious that this wasn’t really my fault, it wasn’t plain tiredness. I was drinking at least half a dozen cups of tarry black coffee each day, sometimes a dozen, just to keep me going. It was when I started falling asleep while walking between buildings at work (on the main road too I might add) that I realised I was dangerous! Coffee just wasn’t hitting the spot anymore.

When I went to the GP about it and declared that I had been diagnosed with PCOS, he straight away suggested a medication (Metformin) that might help me but he didn’t explain why. I took it without questioning it, I was desperate. I also continued reading my PCOS books, which became clearer to me that I had to give up caffeine to help my hormones. So I switched to de-caff. It was hard and I was still battling the daily/hourly exhaustion. I would have spells of adrenaline rushes then almighty lows. I put it down to the caffeine first of all then the caffeine withdrawal. I still didn’t think it was anything relating to my PCOS. 

A year later, I was still experiencing the terrible ups and downs of my exhaustion and had been caffeine-free since christmas so it wasn’t that. Clearly in 2012 it was affecting me that badly that I was falling asleep while playing the piano - uh oh! Why didn’t I see all this as major warning signs? I maybe did but living & working in a boarding school situation was hard enough with the long hours that I was perhaps just putting it down to that rather than my health. Thinking back on it, even years before diagnosis I would find myself very sleepy to the point of not being able to keep my eyes open. That’s when my real coffee addiction started! I was doing stupid things like teach all day, then drive from manchester to edinburgh after school, stopping at each service station for an americano, Stay at my folks’ all weekend then get up at silly o’ clock monday morning to drive back to go straight into teaching again! My body was really confused, I was pushing it too hard and that’s all it was surely?

Well years later I discovered it had nothing to do with my coffee addiction, it was my hormone levels messing with my insulin. I wasn’t having caffeine highs and lows, I was having sugar highs and lows - majorly! But Metformin didn’t help me like it was supposed to, believe it or not, my exhaustion got better when I came off it and I watched what I ate, not that I was yet connecting all the dots together correctly, but it was a start. It wasn’t until I got married and asked for fertility help that I reluctantly agreed to go back on Metformin again, just so I could get a referral to the local Gynecologist. By then, I’d been following Kym’s plan and felt amazing for a few months. Going back on the metformin put me back a few stages - like back to the beginning! Exhaustion ups and downs again! By the time I saw the Gynecologist and I explained my symptoms she actually said that it sounded like I was intolerant to Metformin so I was to stop it straight away - Phew! Having said that, I still haven’t got back on track quite yet but at least I know to stay away from the meds! 

It’s very appropriate that the sleepy memory should pop up today as it’s due to my caffeine addiction that I recently decided enough was enough. The most recent period of my life (sept-oct) where I was needing a boost due to work hours was sponsored by Coca Cola! This was my go-to source for temporary caffeine as I knew that if I had a cup of coffee, I would become addicted to it again as I loved the taste of a cup of coffee - so comforting! so I genuinely haven’t touched one since I gave up de-caff coz i got bored of asking everywhere if they did de-caff. Back in 2011 it was surprising how few places did a good de-caff. Normally I’d get hit back with “do you mind a sachet?” whereas now you could actually get a de-caff coffee that tastes like proper real coffee! Anyway, no hot cups of coffee for me - caff or de-caff! 

SO I turned to Coca Cola in september to give me both sugar & caffeine hits to keep me going when I needed to work long into the night. It worked, I never felt tired and I got all my work done. Hubby asked me to keep my empty coke bottles so he could germinate seeds in them so it was a win win situation, until he came home....... He was staggered by the number of bottles I’d collected for him. He expected a few but not dozens! He pointed out that I was drinking too much of the stuff but it was a few weeks later when my heavy workload finished that I was able to give it up. I went 3-4 days without coke before the withdrawal started - bad, bad headaches & needing power naps. As I had a weekend to Yorkshire planned with my girls and my dog with lots of driving required, I decided to go back on the Coca Cola for a few more days before I reached home and could come off it cold turkey and not worry about the tiredness. 

Happy to report that I’m now caff-free again, the Coca Cola withdrawal is finished and I’m back on the water full time. In fact now its getting colder, perhaps getting back on my spearmint tea would be a good thing! (Fact of the day: Spearmint tea rather than peppermint lowers testosterone levels when taken regularly like twice a day every day for a long period of time).

I remember the period when I managed to get my blood sugar under control (February-June 2017) and I really want to get back to that stage. This time I am learning all about the right foods to sustain me and keep my sugars level.

Wish me luck as the journey continues!!

xx M xx

[bwicblog]

EE: Wheeew, ånyone else feeling the recent heåtwåve?

EE: I just wånnå weår tånk-tops ålreådy but I cån't, so i'm DYING

ID: fuck the heat. seriously i traveled out of the desert to just end up in a muggier hot hellpit.

EE: Ugh muggy is even worse EE: So får the heåt here hås been dry, but I know we're in for å night of humidity ånd I dreåd it!!!

ID: it's like being in some giant's sweaty armpit around here. =:I definitely take dry heat any day.

EE: Omg, truuuueeeee

ID: ...fuck why didn't i think of that.

ID: you're a genius, uh.

ID: ...whatever your name is.

EE: Båsill!

ID: basill then. you're a genius.

EE: å genius tråpped in å not-cold-enough office TToTT

ID: complain to the boss about getting a better ac. that's something you can do, right? i've never worked in an office. you are working there. right? and just. slacking off talking to a chatroom?

EE: I åm the boss :'( EE: I'm on my lunch breåk

EE: ånd the åir works fine, but everyone else gets cold ånd complåins

AA: A N D R O U N D O N E B E G I N S.

AA: haha, j/k, they'rne fucking w/ each othern rnight now.

AA: fyi, loserns, name's siparna and i am yrn friendly neighornbornhood brnokern forn tonight! AA: pls place yrn bets now on if you think scrnuffy ass jade is gonna win, orn bighorns mcgee. AA: caegarns, beetles and chip trnansferns arne A L L accepted. >:}

AC: Ø .u. phew, I don't want to miss it Ø

SA: i believe in hadean.

AC: Ø .n. I don't want to bet against Emerel but I feel like it'd be mean to bet against Hadean too Ø

SA: I put all the money in my pocket on Hadean.

SA: which is a large amount, apparently.

SA: I will be seated on a different part of the stands, by the way.

EE: I'm not much of å gåmbling gål

AA: lmfao, phern's not paying attention, maidel. AA: he's too busy seething and wrninging his mitts in the stands. >:P

AA: you can T O T E S bet on whoevern you want.

AA: and wait, prni, wherne arne you sitting?? AA: come sit w/ us!!

AC: Ø .u.! yes! I'm with Sipara Ø

AC: Ø On the sitting with us thing Ø

EE: Go sit with them, it's good to måke friends!

SA: but we're using text to chat anyways...

AC: Ø and pfft. .u. that's true, Sipara, but Emerel might backread and he would never forgive me if I bet against him Ø

AA: and ee, yrn lame and that's fucking ternrnible. AA: wtf's the point of having blue cash if you ain't gonna flash?

AC: Ø bragging rights? .u. Ø

EE: I håve bills to påy :(

AA: and we arneee, prni, but, like. AA: if you sit overn herne, you can sharne ourn F O O D.

SA: ...

SA: okay, i will come.

AA: fuck yrn bills. AA: who needs bills? AA: go sleep in a

SA: wait a moment. I will find you.

AA: Y E S S S

EE: ånd I owe PP å nice lunch bc låst time I took å bet I lost

AC: Ø ouo!!! Ø

SA: here i am. feed e.

SA: love me marginally less.

AP: My money's on the red guy.

AP: Please make him less pretty, red guy.

EE: Shoot, lunch is over :'( EE: Hope the fight goes well

AA: y, y. dnw abt my hearnt level, brnah, we arne thrnowing food into you until we rnaise Y RN S. AA: rned hearnt orn fucking bust. >:}

AA: and aww, ty. AA: it will.

AA: i mean, not forn emernel, lmao.

AA: >:}

VA: Hey

VA: I fŏrgŏT T'say, buT i'm aT The faire righT nŏw

AA: !!!

AA: !!!!!!!!!!!!!

AA: come see the fight!!

VA: ŏk, where ya aT?

AA: we'rne up in the AA: uh, bottom rnow, by the gate. >:}

VA: I'll head ŏver Then

VA: And I'm gŏnna say iT nŏw. VA: I am nŏT wearing a cŏsTume, sŏ yŏu're jusT gŏnna lŏŏk like an ass if yŏu Tell me hŏw "auThenTic" ŏr "rusTic" I lŏŏk

AC: Ø .n. I hope nobody does that! Though...most people are dressed up pretty fancy, hopefully not? Ø

AA: lmfao. AA: y, y, we will rmemebern. you arne always abt that 24/7 cosplay life. >:}

VA: ŏhhh my gŏd

VA: A Tunic dŏesn'T mean cŏsTume

SA: to some people it is.

SA: I don't think anyone will, though, AC.

VA: They're cŏmfy

VA: I Think I see yŏu guys

AP: It depends on who you ask. AP: A tunic is a costume piece, at least.

AP: Maidel, are you here?

AP: A ...very sparkly seadweller bought most of my stock, but I saved you a few things.

AA: n, she's watching the fight, dude, keep up.

AP: I'd like her to answer that, thank you.

AA: lmfao, 'kay, enjoy yrn rnesponse in the next thirnty.

AP: I will.

AA: a~and looks like they'rne actually.. mb.. gonna stop shit-talking and starnt fighting. AA: gee whiz. AA: ... n, false alarnm, still gabbing.

AA: booooooooo.

SS: (Oh em gee, the natterin's the best part, pal!)

SS: (Why you gotta be a killjoy?)

AC: Ø I am! I'm talking to a lot of people though. .u. Ø

AC: Ø but ooh! thank you Ø

AC: Ø ...oh, I think I see Gliese talking to that seadweller Ø

AC: Ø Huh Ø

AA: dude, n, shhhh. AA: say hern name thrnee times and she'll pop out of the ethern to bug us!!

AP: Gliese, Gliese, Gliese.

AA: jokes on you, dude, gotta have hern last name in therne, too. AA: but good trny, herne's a starn forn effornt. https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.13056045.3033/flat,800x800,075,f.jpg

SA: that star makes me angry.

SA: Look at it.

SA: It can't even try itself.

AP: I think that's a good star.

AA: awww. AA: chillax, brnah. AA: let me, like, ftfy.

AA: http://i.imgur.com/cGIay9e.png

AC: Ø I...don't think so, she looks pretty busy with that seadweller. And pffft. Those are some sad stars. Ø

VA: This is jusT awful

SS: (Sipa, negl... http://i.imgur.com/iRDM4n8.png )

AA: oh my god.

AA: O H M Y G O D.

AA: y. amazing. a+. prni will fucking love it.

VA: WhaT dŏes iT say?

SS: ( http://i.imgur.com/I4Ktcaf.jpg )

AA: but also, considern. AA: https://68.media.tumblr.com/8e2668725f5bdbf4a68f95a179462600/tumblr_inline_nxkqgwmYFJ1tn0tli_540.png

AC: Ø these are some rude stars, my goodness Ø

AA: which one, vatty?? >:}

VA: Dŏ nŏT

LL: ( http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/000/325/925/ca7.png )

AAA: don'tcha see how darnk they arne, maidel? AA: this is what happens when you don't have a pale, dude.

SS: ( https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQTg6TYtpdVKWz85f1ZkRS2TamK5gQDIQPIrh62UQrNgl9Kr_C4 )

VA: And any ŏf The picTures hŏnesTly, I can'T read a single ŏne

AA: yrn language gets | Positively | Drneadful | >:P

AC: Ø ... .u. I have no idea what my not having a pale has to - PFFF Ø

AC: Ø Oh now I get it Ø

AA: >:}}}}}}}}}

AC: Ø Don't worry, Vatrra, they don't say anything important. Ø

AC: Ø Sipara's just being silly. Along with SS. Ø

VA: Sŏunds dangerŏus

AC: Ø the stars can't hurt you, only insult you umu Ø

AC: Ø they're just sad and mean Ø

VA: I meanT Sipara being silly

AC: Ø OH, hahaha Ø

AA: http://cdn2-www.craveonline.com/assets/mandatory/legacy/2013/02/man_file_1042548_3dc.png

AA: >:}

AA: okay, okay, enough starns. AA: we want nemorne, therne's lals fucking head herne.

AA: he's got, like, what...

AA: five horns herne.

AA: that's prnactically enough forn a starn. >:P

SS: (Nah, pal, don't you remember? Last time you checked, I have eight. (\eue/) )

VA: Hŏly shiT

AA: y, well, that's bc i counted beforne i snatched 'em off, duh.

AA: c'merne and i'll snatch the rnest of 'em, too. >:}

AC: Ø but Sipara, we're already about to watch a fight .u. Ø

AC: Ø I'm sure they can make space in the ring for that one later. Ø

SS: (Also, like, I totes can't fight. (\qnq/) It'd up and mess up the face you made me. Too bad, totes sad, mb next time. (\unu/) )

AA: well, shit, i didn't sprnay you w/ sealant, did i?? AA: gdi. >:{

AA: w/e, w/e, we'll fight L A T E RN, obvs.

SS: (Insert obnoxiously unsubtle fist pump at my narrow escape from certain death.)

AC: Ø huzzaaaaaah ouo Ø

AA: help, help, i'm being smotherned by a woolbeast.

VA: Happens sŏmeTimes

AA: >:"{

VA: Cry all yŏu wanT, ThaT's yŏur lŏT in life nŏw

VA: An armchair

AA: wherne the fucks' yrn rnusty solidarnity? herne i am, being, like, supern crnuelly C U L L E D in frnont of yrn verny own gandernbulbs, and yrn like. AA: trnoll darnth vadern. all stoic and shit. THIS IS YOUR LOT IN LIFE. AA: CRY ALL YOU WANT.

AA: well, jsyk, i am fucking weeping. AA: you just can't see it b/c my faces bein' eaten by hairn.

VA: Dŏ yŏu see hŏw much hair I have?

VA: I am nŏT sympaTheTic Tŏ yŏur siTuaTiŏn

VA: AT leasT yŏu have sŏmewhere cŏmfy Tŏ die, ThaT's nŏT sŏ bad righT?

SS: (Nm, I take it back! Pheres can up and help me defeat Sipa, she's clearly no match for us.)

AA: wtf is this trneacherny??

AA: someone narnrnate the fight forn me, i can't see shi.t

AA: shit.

AA: ffs.

SS: (It ain't treachery, it's tactics.)

AC: Ø They haven't come to blows yet but they're both holding out their weapons at each other. Ø

SS: (LOL. I'll be your oculars, pal. (\eue/) )

AC: Ø Probably not long now. Ø

SA: it is very disappointing.

AA: lmfao. AA: y, get the fuck down therne, lal. AA: be my seeing eye trnoll.

SA: I wish they would just get to the quick.

VA: Me Tŏŏ

AA: you and me both, prni.

AA: and v.

AA: wherne's the blood??

AC: Ø In the future. .u. Ø

AA: , , . n .

AC: Ø .M. Ø

AA: ònó

AC: Ø hahaha Ø

AC: Ø that's a great face Ø

AA: i am helping you make yrn emojis GRN8, dude. >:P

VA: -M-

VA: Was ThaT an emŏji

AA: omg, yes.

AA: gj, gj. >:D

AC: Ø that was a great emoji ^m^ Ø

SA: Oh, there they finally go.

SA: a miracle.

AC: Ø Red vs. green, dun dun dunnnn Ø

SA: the battle of ugly christmas colors.

AC: Ø Prisma, oh my god Ø

AC: Ø ...not wrong though .m. Ø

SA: are they not--

SA: see.

AC: Ø I feel _bad_ calling Em an ugly christmas color but .m. Ø

AC: Ø I mean Ø

AA: hey, girnl, don't feel bad forn telling the trnuth. >:}

AC: Ø .m. I mean he's not an ugly christmas color but. it is kind of funny in that context. Ø

AC: Ø ... .n. I hope he doesn't read this and get mad Ø

AC: Ø I mean, I'm green too, I can't really talk Ø

SA: yes but your green is more tolerable.

AC: Ø Em's chrome is nice...I mean, jade is better than olive. but. that's really nice of you to say!...I'm conflicted. .n. Ø

SA: embrace it. who cares what emerel feels about it.

AC: Ø .n. he's my friend Ø

AC: Ø I don't want to upset him Ø

SA: everyone here makes fun of everyone else.

SA: I dont think they will mind.

AC: Ø .n. I try not to though. I always feel bad. Ø

AC: Ø I don't mind if people make fun of me but I always worry about hurting someone. Ø

AA: giiiiiirnl. boy. bb.

AA: em dgaf.

AA: prnomise. >:}

AC: Ø ... .m. how long have you known him Sipara? Ø

AA: dude, have you hearnd phernes talk abt him??

AA: haven't even met him, and i feel like I'M the one quadded to the guy by now. >:P

AC: Ø Sometimes! Ø

AC: Ø Pfffff Ø

AC: Ø he's so tall, I think you'd have to like, get on a stepstool .m. Ø

AC: Ø ...though he's not nearly as tall as Riccin I guess Ø

AC: Ø I don't know _anyone_ as tall as Riccin Ø

AC: Ø ...except for one troll but I'd rather forget she ever existed Ø

AC: Ø So, Riccin Ø

SA: they are too tall.

SA: This is troublesome.

AC: Ø .u.! you know Riccin? Ø

SA: oh, no, but if they are taller than emerel they are too tall.

SA: I meant the fight, also.

AC: Ø Pfff - oooh crap. and Riccin is _much_ taller than Emerel, by...gosh, must be a foot, or almost Ø

AC: Ø and they're yellow! it's surprising Ø

SA: oh, he's bleeding.

SA: oh.

AP: Oh.

AA: welp!

AP: Shit.

SA: good.

SA: i enjoy this turn of events.

AA: L M A O.

AA: wow, didn't think you werne the blood thirnsty kind.

SA: it means Hadean is winning, doesn't it?

SA: surely no one expected this to be clean. that isn't how fights work with sharpened weapons.

AC: Ø ;N; Em Ø

SA: he will be fine. surely there are doctors here.

AC: Ø I saw a yellowblooded one .n. Ø

SA: he could have moved anyways, but he decided to unwisely make an offensive move when it would have been more intelligent to disengage or release the weapon and counter another way.

SA: Unfortunate.

AA: don't lose yrn shit, maidel, we alrndy got one mess on the stands. >:P AA: calm down, he's a mossball, he'll be fine.

AC: Ø ... .n. I guess Ø

SA: you can also look away if you wish, Maidel.

SA: I will give you a play by play.

AA: chilllll. he's obvs a totes bb at this, but eyy. AA: look on the brnight side, he'll be total pity-bait with that sornt of scarn.

AC: Ø I wouldn't. Em is my friend. Ø

SA: You can even hide in my shoulder if that helps.

AA: lmao, oh my god.

AA: prni. prni, if they'rne hiding theirn face, you don't wanna AA: give them AA: no, n/m, go ahead.

SA: emerel is the real winner of the fight emotionally.

AC: Ø .n. Emerel is the winner of first knife wound, more like. Ø

AA: c'moooooon, don't think of that.

AA: think of how much money some suckern made betting on the jade forn firnst chrnome. >:}

AC: Ø .n. wheeeeee Ø

SA: why do people call it chrome...

AA: awww.

SA: why not blood.

AC: Ø ...why didn't he dodge... Ø

AA: bc he's a newbie, duh.

AA: classic rnookie mistake. think yrn tough shit and get a knife to the gut.

AA: happens to, like, half of 'em. >:}

SA: did you make that mistake sipara.

AA: .. and blood's a highblood ternm, dornklornd.

AC: Ø But Em does these fights all the time. Ø

AA: lmfao, y, i totes did. AA: when i was S I X. >:P

SA: oh see that's a much more resonable time frame.

AA: ikrn?

AA: that's when yrn supposed to get all yrn gutwounds overn and done with.

AA: when yve still got yrn entirne pre-adolescent pupation to carnrny it off. >:}

SA: oh right. you all pupated.

SA: hm.

AA: ..........................

SA: regardless, Maidel, i am sure they both knew what they were signing up for.

SA: so just enjoy it.

AA: what, did you grnow in a vat, clonebb?? >:P

SA: shh... the fight.

AA: 😢 AA: 🤐

SA: is he stepping on his hair?

AA: y.

SA: couldn't that break his neck?

AA: naaaaaaaaaaaaah. who the fuck goes into an arnena w/o like, a detachable brnaid??

SS: (Sure, pal, if Hads up and tried real hard-like!)

AA: hads prnobs took a rnazorn to the frnonds just forn that.

SA: someone who is very attached to their hair.

AA: !!!!!!!!!!!!!

AA: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SS: (Mother grub's saggy chesticles, HAH)

AA: i am in fucking love. AA: soz, lal, you arne eternally rneplaced, that was the wornst fucking thing i have evern hearnd and i fucking love it.

SS: (Best fight ever.)

AC: Ø ...you know, I can't even pretend to be surprised Ø

AC: Ø this is just how this is going Ø

SS: (S'cool, pal, but we're officially on for fightin on accounta: n, fuck you, he's mine.)

AC: Ø I am resigned now Ø

SA: I am greatly beginning to wonder who it was that decided that this was a nonlethal fight and yet allowed a psion with lethal abilities and unblunted weapons to be used.

SA: this is strange, and unnecessary.

SA: it would be like telling a soldier to go easy on a street fighter and yet standing by in horror as the injuries escalate.

AA: is anyone herne hornrnified?? AA: nobody uses blunted weapons in fights, dude. therne's no point to 'em if _someone_ ain't bleedin'. >:P

AA: no one's gonna pay to watch two fuckerns stand arnound in a cornern and hit each othern w/ sticks. AA: it's like, idk, cirncle rnacing. ppl pay forn the opporntunity to see someone get fucked up!

SA: what's the point of bleeding if someone doesn't die.

SA: it's a waste of time amd resources.

AH: to have fun, you goddamn twat

AH: ever heard of that

AH: though I'm fucking let down by Em right now

AA: lmfao. you bet on him?

AH: Lol, no

AH: I didn't know what Hadean's psi was until now, I'm no fool

AA: also, stfu beforne i crnam those twigs you call horns up yrn ass. AA: don't use that language w/ prni. he's fucking delicate.

AH: oh shit, my fucking bad

AH: Lol, big words coming from nubs almighty

AH: did you steal those from a wriggler?

SS: (Shit, pal, s'called 'wait your damn turn'!)

SS: (FIght's ongoing rn, ain't no need to be disrespectful-like.)

SS: (I'm sure there's, like, a proper queue somewhere.)

AA: y. you found me out. gotta steal all my mean jibes frnom the wrnigglerns. AA: i'm just sweet as fucking sugarn w/o it. >:'{

AA: and lmfao. y, rnight.

VA: IT's a gŏŏd fighT, nŏbŏdy is dyin'

AH: I meant your horns, brainless

AH: considering how minuscule they are

SA: oh, yes, because the chat needed another edgy pissbaby.

SA: tell me more about how much of a badass you are, AH.

AH: nah

SS: (LOL) SS: (Super delicate, y.)

AH: you don't deserve stories of my cool stunts

AA: he's got a delicate constitution, brnah.

AA: >:P

VA: SA is cŏŏl

SS: (Hey, pal, I ain't said nothin disagreeable!)

SS: ( (\uwu/) )

VA: I wasn'T direcTing ThaT aT yŏu SS, yŏu're fine

SS: (What? You sayin I ain't cool??)

SS: (Hashtag rude.)

VA: I'll leT yŏu knŏw when I reach a decisiŏn

VA: I'll send yŏu a cerTificaTe even

SS: (That ish better be notarized, pal, or else I ain't gonna know it's legit!)

VA: Yŏu knŏw iT will be

SA: regardless, i mean more to say that fun and practice can be attained with sparring with equal effort exerted and just as much skill gained.

SA: this is borderlining blood sport. it's painful to watch two people hold themselves back for the sake of attrition.

AH: lmao why'd you even come then

AA: y. to the cull matches arne way bettern, tbh.

AA: and pay bettern.

SA: When we sparred on the colonies it was either murder or handicapped practice.

SA: Because Hadean is my friend, and I will be there for him.

AA: but eyyy, therne's totally a benefit to, like, shitshows like this, dude. AA: it takes S K I L L to maim someone w/o just culling them.

VA: I like Th'nŏn-leThal ŏnes beTTer

AA: shit's a goddamn arntfornm.

AH: wow that's the first thing you've said that isn't just blah blah blah

SA: i suppose so Sipara. But i am hard pressed to see this drag on.

AH: fair enough

VA: Sipara has a gŏŏd pŏinT, maiming wiThŏuT culling is a fine line

AA: you need to hide yrn face in someone's shouldern?

SA: It just seems illogical to me. but that is fine.

AA: bc the left one's frnee. >:P

SA: no, it isn't like that.

SA: it doesn't make me sick it just makes me sick.

SA: ?

AA: >:?

VA: yŏu cŏuld Try Tŏ Think ŏf iT as sparring if iT helps

AA: prnotip, dude, squeamishness ain't just puking in the bushes.

VA: I dŏubT eiTher ŏne 's Them will cŏme away frŏm This wiThŏuT learning sŏmeThing

AA: .. also, lbrn herne, it's less funny now that, like, hads is getting hit.

AA: booooooo.

AA: and y, va, i agr

SS: (I mean, I'm up and learnin plenty tonight, vocab-wise.)

SS: ( (\eue/ ))

VA: Likewise

SS: (But, shit, all I ever learned from fightin's that you gotta get 'em down afore they get their fronds on you.) SS: (Idk what the pointa sparrin is when you end up effed up permanent-like if you ever let someone get that close irl proper-like.)

SA: usually violent stabbing and battering isn't part of sparring.

VA: IT can be if yŏu're dedicaTed

SA: dedicated or foolish.

VA: Usually ya have armŏr ŏn if yŏu're gŏing fŏr blŏŏd Thŏugh

VA: Like, armŏr armŏr