Goal Achieved !

After exactly four months I've achieved my goal of losing twenty pounds. That puts me a few pounds lower than I got to after the last couple of long slow diets. I'm proud of myself because I do like food especially sweet stuff. I know that indulging in the treats I bought for after tomorrow's toe procedure will set me back a bit but I'll just go back to watching what I eat until the extra weight goes. 

It was cloudier today but still nice enough for a walk around the Osprey Centre. First we went to Mach to stock up on some goodies from our favourite café. But sadly it was closed. A notice on the door said that due to unforeseen circumstances they would not be opening until tomorrow. 

It seems like the fates have been conspiring to keep me on my diet. On Sunday I thought I might have some cake at the garden but none of us fancied paying £5 for a slice of cake after already paying £5 admission. Then today not only was the café in Mach shut but when I was tempted by a delicious looking cheese cake Peter just ordered me a coffee. Good but not good. And the coffee was an expresso which I never drink. The lady who brought it to our table kindly went and added frothed milk to make it a cappuccino. 

At the main hide we met our friend Anne (who we meet at the library for Welsh practice), who volunteers there. She's very knowledgeable about the ospreys and birds in general. Her role is to help people with the various telescopes and binoculars set up to watch the ospreys' nest and to answer any questions about the ospreys.

This is Telyn on the nest with the three chicks. Next to the nest are the cameras which live stream video back to large screens set up around the main hide and the visitors' centre. 

In the afternoon I did as much as I could in the back garden. The tomatoes have been weeded and tied in with the side shoots removed. A major job was to pull up all the Welsh poppies growing by the wall and tie back the schizostylis  to give easy access along the side of the tomato bed. I didn't quite finish all the weeding but the back garden is in much better shape for now.

Later I went to Pilates where we finished with twenty minutes of 'relaxation' before a final set of stretches. I enjoy the challenge of the exercises (not so much when it's kettlebells) but winding down with relaxation is a bonus.

No swimming snakes today and not many creatures to be seen in the nature reserve but here are a couple. Judging by the empty case on the stick I would say this was a newly emerged darter.

This water boatman swimming just under the surface looks more like an alien than native pondlife.

Now for an early night as I have to be at the hospital at 7.45.