I love the rather over used “We Can Do It” American wartime propaganda poster.  To me it epitomises the willingness of women during the war to roll up their sleeves, get stuck in, work hard, be strong and never give up.

Sometimes in life it’s the only thing to do in the face of adversity.  If you don’t you’ve lost, you wither, you are consumed and you vanish..

Adversity comes in all shapes and forms. It can involve emotions, physicality and economics.

Struggling with one’s weight is an adversity, especially if it is manifesting itself in physical or emotional pain. It’s hard to lose weight, especially hundreds of pounds. It feels like the end is never in sight, the struggle seemingly never ends and often you fall down, and have to climb back up again sheepishly, half heartedly, even reluctantly. It’s easier to lie down in a comfy bed then walk barefoot on sharp pebbles..

Weight loss isn’t without pain..

But pain is temporary and there is undoubtedly less of it as we scale our hills and mountains and realize we are nearly at the top.

Despite the struggles and setbacks and 20 years of obesity I do believe in Sir Ernest Shackleton Family Motto: “By endurance we conquer….”

And trust me when I say there are years more endurance left in my 48 year old bones to fight this demon, this need, this greed, this something which I still haven’t quite worked out.

100lbs left to lose..

WE CAN DO IT!

Wikipedia: “We Can Do It!” is an American wartime propaganda poster produced by J. Howard Miller in 1943 for Westinghouse Electric as an inspirational image to boost worker morale. The poster is generally thought to be based on a black-and-white wire servicephotograph taken of a Michigan factory worker named Geraldine Hoff.

The poster was seen very little during World War II. It was rediscovered in the early 1980s and widely reproduced in many forms, often called “We Can Do It!” but also called “Rosie the Riveter” after the iconic figure of a strong female war production worker. The “We Can Do It!” image was used to promote feminism and other political issues beginning in the 1980s

Wartime cheese whirls (yes that brown stuff is Marmite and it’s an authentic recipe)

Exciting times…

Without saying too much, as I don’t think I’m allowed to right now, I’m cooking several more wartime recipes for another photo shoot taking place at my house on Monday.

Get this…anyone who knows me can testify that largely I’m a leggings and t-shirt kinda gal but I do so wish to just occasionally (when I’ve lost more weight) get glammed up and feel like a woman. I want that..

I’m kind if getting that treatment on Monday. I’ve got to go into town with a stylist, who will treat me to a new dress and will style my hair a bit and do my make-up. I’m really not the sort of person who likes all that faffing about but I have to admit I’m quite excited as long as they can disguise my preggy looking belly. Having put weight on fairly recently and with over 100 lbs to lose, I’m still very self concious.

So I’m cooking like crazy today and then I’ve got to get my kitchen spotless and then Monday it’s a day of excitement (as well as trying to fit in chores) and then well I guess we just wait to see …

Hope you have a great day!

C xxxx

PS I’ve been compiling a 1940s clothing wish-list on Wrappler (CLICK HERE)  adding stuff as I go along. Some dresses, some shoes and some fun dressing up ideas. I’m rather liking this dress.. I’d like to wear something like that when I get below 200lbs..

QUOTE: “We can now see an age of ‘thrift being the new thrust’ and ‘frugality the new frontier’.”

Launching the Wartime Spirit campaign (in 2009) at the Imperial War Museum, Philip Sellwood, chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust, said “frugality” is about to come back into fashion. (read rest of article here)

For the last 5 or 6 years there have been many articles in the media telling us that a return to a wartime spirit where we become less wasteful, preserve energy, grow vegetables, and make do and mend, is needed to start healing society and work towards reducing the greenhouse effect (and ultimately climate change).

I just saw a Facebook friend (Suzy) link to the original article on this here at the Telegraph where the ‘Wartime Spirit Campaign’ was first launched and it got me wondering whatever happened to it?

Did people embrace the campaign? Is it still going? Why has it run out of steam?

Lets keep the wartime spirit campaign going I say.

Essentially… a pan of stew!

The problem I have is the Hobbits (my 3 grown up kids) just won’t eat a good stew so if I make one I tend to eat it all. It’s not a bad thing, it’s delicious, warm and filling and CHEAP! We have to think of ways to get by on a small income constantly so price is important..

So here is what I ate yesterday plus how much it cost:

Breakfast: Porridge/Oatmeal for breakfast and a slice of toast 15p (I buy my bread on the reduced shelf and my porridge is from the basics range)

Lunch and dinner: Two big bowls of vegetable stew each time (so a total of 4) with a slice of bread with margarine on each time too. 80p (stew was made from marrow, lentils, potatoes and carrots and onion with a soft tomato and some Bisto and dried herbs/seasoning)

I also grazed on some pumpkin seeds I found in my drawer at work 10p

Total cost of food for the day £1.05
Calories in the region of 2200

Exercise: I walked for an hour

Image courtesy of www.victoriarhb.com

I think this was destined to be a difficult start to my first week back on rations again to lose 100 lbs in 1 year…the reason being I was going away with the new man in my life (I feel like a teenager again!) for a mini-break (our first one!)

Despite the morning cube of chocolate in bed (no choccie/sweeties ration now for another 3 weeks) before popping down to the hotel dining room for full English breakfast (well OK not quite for me as being a veggie) AND eating chips twice, drinking two pints of stout and homemade wine, my weight loss for the week has been 5 lbs!!!

This morning I weighed in at 20 stone 5 lbs (285 lbs)

I’m putting it down to lots of exercise over the weekend…

(Hey less of those smutty thoughts- there were LOTS of very steep hills!)

We had a fantastic time staying at a lovely hotel (The Victoria |Hotel) overlooking Robin Hoods Bay. Sunday was glorious and we spent the day paddling on the beach (yes the water was cold but so very worth it!) and walking up and down the steep hills, admiring the beautiful scenery and the ocean (and waking up to the sound of waves and seagulls) AND we visited Whitby twice too and stopped and had tea in a lovely little tea-shop in Pickering.

Lets just say my morale has been significantly boosted.

My mojo is restored..

I’m really, really happy.

Week 2 – Bring it on!

C xxx

He bought us retro looking mugs- the Spotted Dick significant to him and the Grow Your Own significant to me!

To Robin Hood’s Bay by the new man in my life, for a couple of days.

I’m excited and about to quickly try and get packed and sew the buttons on to my coat.

And someone left a comment on my blog to say that the my blog is a bit like the 1940s version of Julie and Julia and I thought that was a rather lovely thing to say. Although I think Julia Child’s is fab, I guess my total admiration goes out to Marguerite Patten…..the Ministry of Food’s secret weapon.

So I must fly… I have to get ready

Bon Appetite! We’ll meet again!

C xxxxx