WARNING! Please read responsibly. This Blog contains large amounts of smugness!

So, that’s my ‘Lent thing’ over for 2018. What began in 2010 as a small challenge, has now grown into a much bigger event!

Some of you have asked how I got on, so here’s a short summary. Thanks to all my friends and family – and especially Ann – who helped me out during the period with modified menus and words of encouragement. Manoeuvring around my restrictions must have been a right royal pain in the a***, and I appreciate all the support!

As usual, I began the challenge on the first day of Lent this year – Valentine’s Day – and finished at midnight on Thursday, 29th March (yesterday). Technically, I know, for some, that’s not the complete period of Lent, but it was long enough for me! I also didn’t take Sundays off (many have commented that even official ‘Lentees’ allow this) but where’s the challenge with that?

This year, there were 48 items to try and steer clear of – nothing special about the list, except they are all my favourites, but I’m now running out of ‘faves’ to add – I’ve included ‘Semi-skimmed Milk’, and ‘Salad Cream’ for this year (mainly because in years-gone-by, I seem to get through a lot of both!)

As expected, I lost a bit of weight too! I was 13st 13lbs (195 lbs, 88.6 kilos) when I started, and I was down to 13st 1lbs (183 lbs, 83.2 kilos) when I finished. I think that’s a record for me so far with these ‘Lent events’.

So, I’ve lost some ballast, but it’s the ‘will-power’ thing that’s been the real test for me. As in previous years, the toughest time was at the beginning, where I certainly had more than one attack of the ‘munchies’ between meals. Things got better as the days went on though!

If you’re wondering, out of everything on the list, I think I missed Curry and Chocolate the most!

As has been the ‘tradition’ since I began doing this, I always try and add a few items each year to make things a bit more challenging for next period of Lent – and 2019 will be no different. Although I will say, this is becoming increasingly hard to do, as I’m running out of ‘faves’ to add! So, for the last time, I’m adding just two more for the coming year – and in future years, I’ll stick with (just) a total of 50.

Now it’s back to the Pies (no, not really!, but I am looking out for a chocolate curry at the next opportunity!)

Thanks for reading.

Archive: Previous Lent Lists
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Lent Boy 2018: How Did I Do? appeared first on Steve's Blog.

It’s Valentine’s Day and whilst most of us are preparing for a special meal and spreading petals around the place, I’m also getting ready for another annual event…
     
It’s earlier this year, and so here we go again… another year… another of my ‘Lent Challenges’!

For 2018, it’s now 48 items that I’m trying to avoid (from Wednesday, February 14th until Thursday, March 29th). However, before I get stuck in, some of you have commented (who know a lot more about the Lent tradition than me) that the dates I’m working with ‘aren’t the complete Lent period, as Lent finishes on Holy Saturday’.

After some extensive research (err, a bit of googling!) those results suggest there does seem to be a few variations on when the period ends! However, after much consideration, I’m still sticking with the slightly-easier-for-me-and-those-closest-to-me and finishing the day before Good Friday! That same research also confirms that, I can ‘take the Sundays off during Lent’ – but where’s the fun in that!? So I’m not!

I think therefore that balances things up nicely!

Why do all this? Well, as many of you know by now, I love my food – probably too much – and I try and grow my list each year to make the fasting process a bit more challenging next time round.

When I started all this back in 2010, it was just a few of my faves – 13 items – now I’m up to 48! I guess it’s more an annual test of my will-power and a way of losing a few pounds, rather than any religious conviction (although I always think a period of denial is good for the soul). Whatever my motivation, my smug-ometer is going to be cranking up to 11!

Thanks in advance then, to all my friends and family, who are going to be kind enough to re-work menus for me during this period! Wish them (and me) luck. By Maundy Thursday, a slightly slimmer – and smugger – me will emerge!
  

See you on the other side!

Previous Lent Events

2010 (13 items)

2011 (16 items)

2012 (19 items)

2013 (23 items)

2014 (26 items)

2015 (36 items)

2016 (42 items)

2017 (46 items)

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Lent Boy (ish) 2018 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

WARNING! Please read responsibly. This Blog contains large amounts of smugness!
So, that’s my ‘Lent event’ over for 2017. What began in 2010 as a small challenge, has now grown into a much bigger test of will-power!

Some of you have asked how I got on, so here’s a short summary. Thanks to all my friends and family – and especially Ann – who helped me out during the period with modified menus and words of encouragement.

I began the challenge on the first day of Lent this year – 1st March – and finished at midnight on Thursday, 13th April (yesterday). Technically, I know, for some, that’s not the complete period of Lent, but it works for me! I also didn’t take Sundays off, and many have commented that Lent allows this …but where’s the fun in that?

This year, there were 46 items to try and steer clear of – nothing special about the list except they are all my favourites! For 2017, I added ‘Coffee’, ‘Gin & Tonic’, ‘Lemonade’ and ‘Stilton Cheese’. In truth, after this many years doing it, I’m slowly running out of things to add!!

I lost a bit of weight too! I was 13st 12.5lbs (88.2 kilos) when I started, and I was down to 13st 2.25lbs (84.2 kilos) a few weeks ago – but back up to 13st 4.75lbs by the end. Porker!

So, all-in-all, I’ve lost a bit of weight, but it’s the ‘will-power’ thing that’s the real test. As in previous years, the toughest time was at the beginning, where I certainly had more-than-one attack of the ‘munchies’ around the lunchtime period. Things got better as the days went on though! The smug-o-meter was on the rise!!!

Out of everything on the list, I think I missed Curry and Chocolate the most!

As has been the ‘tradition’ since I started doing this, I always try and add a few items each year to make things a bit more challenging for next period of Lent, and that’ll be no different for 2018 it’ll total 48. I’m adding two more – Salad Cream and Semi-skimmed milk (the latter isn’t exactly ‘a favourite’, but it’ll still mean an extra challenge for breakfast cereals and my tea!)

2018’s List of Banned Items

Now, where’s that very large bar of chocolate?!?!


Previous Lent Lists…
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Lent Boy 2017: How Did I Do? appeared first on Steve's Blog.

It’s been a while, but we caught up with the neighbours tonight in celebration of John C’s birthday on Monday. It’s probably the first time we’ve all got together since Christmas – and there was plenty of news to catch-up with. In fact, there wasn’t enough time for us to be properly sociable, and chat with everyone – so, a perfect excuse to do this all again before too long!!!

Trish sorted out the buffet food with Ann creating the Desserts and many guests contributing to the cheeseboard. I was lucky in that I was able to steer through the various items and stay faithful to my Lent List for 2017!

We had a great time (so-much-so, I forgot to take any pics!) and we didn’t get home until close to 1am – and for us, that’s super-late!!!

Happy Birthday for Monday, John!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post John C’s Birthday appeared first on Steve's Blog.