Trying to shed a few pounds

Mr SE and I are on a health kick....
Which roughly translates as moderating our intake of things like wine, cheese, crackers etc. (or rather cutting out completely in the case of the cheese and crackers) keeping an eye on portion sizes etc. and adding more vegetables, salads and fruit to our diet. And for me, I have added a daily brisk power walk - of around 3 to 4 kms. Also going for healthy choices such as the breakfast below: This is not a hardship as this bircher muesli is quite DELICIOUS.

I loved the glass jar but when it is finished I will make up a batch myself. The ingredients are as follows : Rolled oats, sultanas, almonds, sunflower kernels and dried apples. You could make up a batch and add dates, or apricots to I would imagine......

You have to be organised and make up the bircher muesli the night before. So, to one measure (1/3 cup) of the dry mixture you add the same measure of milk (I use low fat) and then 2 to 3 tbsps of yoghurt. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge overnight. In the morning you can add fruit of your choice - grated apple is wonderful.....

See below my breakfast this morning....

And here is the view for my walking route... Gorgeous Autumn colours and even better when the sun shines.

Initially we (decided by Mr SE) are doing this for a period of 5 weeks and Mr SE has printed out a chart to map our progress - apparently there is a prize for the winner he said! We are nearly 3 weeks into our "regime" and so far I have lost 4 pounds and Mr SE 1 pound . (and for those of you who deal in Kgs that is around 2Kgs for me and 1/2 Kg for Mr SE).

Shall I start planning my prize yet I wonder or will it be a case of the hare and the tortoise?

Beauty product LOVE - Chantecaille's 'Just Skin'

I am impressed. Very. Having read all the reviews and hype about this gorgeous tinted moisturiser (not actually a true description really as I would say it was more of a foundation) I bit the bullet and forked out quite a lot of $$$ for this which is in reality about the size of a small tube of toothpaste!!

However, the old saying is correct - you get what you pay for in life and I have to say I love it.

Chantecaille's 'Just Skin' is well, er, - just like your skin, only better. It covers fine lines, imperfections and pores and looks as if you are wearing no make up at all which is what I have always tried to achieve with foundations etc. and never quite got there.

Initially, I was given a sample of the colour 'Bliss' but found it too light and went back to the lovely SA at Mecca Cosmetica in the city and now have 'Nude' which is perfect for my skin tone. It's easy to use and buildable too giving you a heavier coverage if you need it but at the same time keeps that flawless finish. I also dust a light covering of pressed mineral powder over the centre of my face to take off the slight sheen and to make it last all day. And a huge bonus - it smells lovely too.

Have to say, I'm hooked!

P.S. No, I was not paid or sponsored for this post but if the kind people at Chantecaille would like to send me a year's supply of Just Skin (in Nude please) I wouldn't say no!!

Anyone else love this or are you true to another tinted moisturiser/foundation that you'd never be without?

A delivery from My-Wardrobe dot com

Look what arrived in the mail the other day. Well, to be honest they could not get it into my mail box and so left a little card to say it was at the local Post Office. I got home at around from work at around 5.45pm and so immediately rushed out again with my little card to see if the newsagents (where our mail counter is) was still open... Much happiness as they were, and I claimed my 'loot'!! Carefully undid the box and lifted the first layer of tissue paper.

And in photo below - down to the box wrapped in the my-wardrobe.com logo paper.

And here - tah-dah!!!

My Belstaff boots - such beauties, in antique black.

I have been searching for these high and low since I saw a similar pair in a shop in Byron Bay when we were there last month. (They only had one pair left in a size 36)

But to no avail - searched all over the internet etc. and none in my size. ANYWHRE. I emailed My Wardrobe and they suggested I kept "checking the site to see if we have a pair returned" .... Got to admit I did not hold out much hope. However, a couple of weeks ago - one pair appeared in my size - obviously FATE, and I had to have them.... Naturally. The leather is deliciously soft.

And just look at the soles - leather too, of course but with special non slip pieces on them.

Here they are in their glory...

And photos above and below show them on.
Sorry, photograph below was taken looking into the mirror - not all that great quality (UNLIKE the boots of course!)...

A little about Belstaff for those of you unfamiliar with the brand :


Belstaff - the Story:
A genuine British heritage brand, Belstaff's history can be dated back to 1924, when it was founded by father and son-in-law team Eli Belovitch and Harry Grosberg. Renowned for its legendary jackets Belstaff's patrons of the past have included motocross prodigy Sammy Miller the revolutionary Che Guevara and the ‘king of cool’ Steve McQueen.
The Collection:
A range of iconic biker jackets in original waxed cotton and leather, plus boots and bags to finish off the look.
Last Word:
With a constant demand for all things retro; Belstaff continues to recreate the iconic biker jacket it is most famous for. This brand has attitude, style and a commitment to sourcing the highest quality materials.


I love them (as you may have gathered) and am really pleased that the weather has turned very Autumnal and cool here recently giving me lots of opportunity to wear them.

Happy Semi Expat indeed.