Monday feeling

It's Monday again and I'm all alone at home waiting for the Monday traffic to die down before I head off to work.  I usually try to leave very early, a gym session then feel nice and fresh for work. Today however, I haven't got the ummph to jump out of bed.  It was probably that anti-histamine I had to take last night after an allergy attack.  Really not sure what is causing my sudden outburst of rashes and itches like crazy.  I have been suffering from it for over a week now and it still keeps coming back.  It also just comes up randomly.  I could happily be sitting watching TV and a sudden reaction.

Anywhoo, yesterday we celebrated Nuradilla's 18th birthday. And that is it, no more what's classed as 'child' in my household. My babies are all officially adults now.  What a strange feeling - makes me feel ancient.  Hay-ho it is a great feeling when you are ancient but still keeping active though - in some cases more active than a lot of the young generation. I must admit it makes me feel sad when I see the young generation being inactive (lazy!). On the other hand sometimes there are 'bigger' people and a lot older people than me who can run a half-marathon or a full marathon even - R E S P E C T them totally!
Hmm back to what I was talking about, so we went for our usual birthday lunch - this time Adeen wanted to go to a buffet. So we thought of Jimmy Spice.  I couldn't help it but felt incomplete as there were only 4 of us. We never have birthday lunch with just 4 of us, it is just not right.  It was always a family do - but this time 1/3 of the family is missing. It didn't seem right. Adeen and Nadiah had their snapchats fun - so this is what 'adults' do ?? And Papa and I just enjoyed watching them making sillies of themselves. There were the moments that I just needed some comfort to re-assure me things are cool.

Lunch was good - food was excellent - it started off as crazy when we had to queue for about 20minutes before we could get a table. But worth the wait though.

Lump In My Throat (idiom)

Is is Day Two since Liyana and Munz left the country - not that I am counting but just read Liyana's latest post on her blog, that just brought the lump in my throat again. Click here if you want to have a read too...

Liyana's blog

All is good now - life is back to 'normal'. Everyone is now back at work, uni and school.

So far my #100dayfitnesschallenge is going ok- it is only day 2 or 99days to T! It is keeping me motivated though. Alias is also doing it over lunch time and when he can after work - Great stuff!

I am looking forward to next week - Alias and I will be jetting off to Rome for a few days - hope the weather is better in Rome. Yes I will still do my fitness challenges - it only takes half hour - so no excuse.

I set myself a 100day fitness challenge-100days to 31.12.2013 starts tomorrow

This idea came about after reading a FB page of a Fitness Instructor I know, who does this annual 100day challenge for charity. I couldn't join her FB group since I don't want to dissappoint her at any point of the duration

 So I thought I would challenge myself the same too and it starts tomorrow. Now I need you guys to keep me motivated.

First thing I will need to do is measure myself tonight, chest, waist, hips and thighs.

Set my first exercise for day 100 (tomorrow) - and it's going to be power-walk 30mins.

As soon as I've done it I will let you know. And set day99's exercise challenge. 

Do join me in this daily challenges...I need your push. 

If you do join me, don't forget to properly warm up and cool down after.

The Last Few Precious Moments are now here

They are now just about to depart, by the Departure Entrance...me clenching my fists to channel the energy- Alhamdulillah I did not breakdown in front of them. Didn't want them to have that picture in their minds when the flashback to those precious times. I want them to remember me smiling and proud of them.

My first baby has flown the nest ...

                          

Time to go home

                                    

It's the D-day

We are now at Gatwick Airport with the families minus a couple. Emotions going all over the place at the moment. Last breakfast together at the airport listening to Bob Marley - Three Little Birds .. Everything's going to be alright.

And it's the night before the last

And it's the night before the last night and Liyana will be off to Trinidad with her hubby. Strange feeling for me. I'm not sure what . I guess it's all happening so fast. I haven't been able to properly digest she is someone's wife and now they are off to start their own life on their own together. 

Wierd that I'll count two less heads when it's 'cooking for the family' day. I will not miss the cooking but will miss seeing them enjoy the food no matter how bad it turns out...usually it is actually good though ;)

Hay-ho life goes on. I'm happy for them, they are doing what I did 15 years ago, left my home country to make ends meet. Never regretted a second of it. If we didn't leave then, I can't think how we would survive the economic downturn during those years. Alhamdulillah we made the right decision to come to England and start our life here. Only for them, they have it all cut out for them... It's an opportunity not to be missed. Perhaps one day they will return to England to settle down, InshaAllah.

My prayers will be with you both always.

Peveril Castle - Peak District - 8th September 2013

It was time to drop Nashrah off back at Uni with all her belongings. Now into second year of her degree, she has now moved out of campus into a lovely residential area in Handsworth Wood, Birmingham. A massive house with massive bedrooms, this is where she will spend the next year with 5 other Uni mates. Rather unusual for such a beautiful house as student residence, well looked after and a big garden too, big enough for another town house I would say.
We took the opportunity of having to drive up north to spend the weekend away and walk the Peak District. So after Birmingham, we visited a friend living in Liverpool and had a lovely dinner at theirs. We then head to Manchester where we had booked a room so we can walk the Peak District the following Sunday.
Early morning, we made sure we had our big breakfast, eggs, beans, mushrooms, quorn sausages, toast, hash browns and tomatoes! That's as English breakfast as you can get for us!
We then drove through Glossop into the National Park via Snake Pass.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_Pass

We started from Peveril Castle in the beautiful village of Castleton. We walked/climbed the Cave Dale Trail. Wow that was a challenge. Suffered burning muscles descending that lasted the next few days.

 

   

  

  

  

Durlston Castle in Swanage - 25th Aug 2013

One of our favourite hobbies is to do random trips to various cities/towns, kind of doing trips on impulse. Luckily I have a husband who enjoys putting up with my on-the-spot requests and enjoys country driving. We would just pack a bag and go for a 2 or 3 hour trip away from home.
That's one of the best things about living in the UK, everywhere is just hours away and commutable by car or train.  We have decided once the kids have all left home, we will get ourselves a motorhome and just travel from one town to another, kind of like that family who drove from somewhere in the north of UK to Malaysia. Awesome! They would stop at campsites over a couple of nights to take a break and start driving again.
These days we do day trips away or weekends away, just find a travelodge for the night so we could go for our leisure walks to enjoy the beautiful countrysides and National Parks.
About 3 weeks ago, we decided to visit a friend who were were camping down in Swanage. We didn't camp as our camping days are over - been there, done that when the kids were young.
We arrived Swanage early in the morning about 9, had a good big breakfast, ready for our walk later in the day.

Steam Engine passing through the campsite

We then went to Durlston Castle and it's surroundings in Durlston Country Park .

A day at a time

Not sure of the things that are going through my head and heart at the moment. Took a day off work to spend some value mother - daughter time. Nashrah is back from Uni to spend some time with big sister too.
Last Saturday had a farewell-do for Liyana and Munzir who will be leaving home to move to Trinidad with Munzir's two year work assignment.
In the past year, since last August 2012, the 'proposal', the engagement, the wedding and now the move...all happened. It certainly is their year.
Nadiah too will be moving to Australia for a year in October 2013 for a Gap year. All exciting for her too.
Nashrah will be going back to Uni in Birmingham.
That leaves just the three of us at home.  It will be all strange to start, but I'm sure we will get used to it.
Too many things happening and yet I signed up for a course as well-a course completely out of my comfort zone! It is like I haven't got enough going on or is this my escape route to distract me??
I just have to take it a day at a time until things get back to 'normal'??