Midweek Catch-up 16/7/25

Hello again with this week’s catch-up. I hope you enjoy reading and do let me know in the comments! There will not be a midweek catch-up for the next 2 weeks due to our family holiday, but if you subscribe to my emails, you will still get those! Be sure to also check out my social media for what we have been up to!

A green and blue speech bubble showcases bold text: "Jen’s Midweek Catch-Up" with the keyword Midweek Catch-up, and below in smaller text, "16th July 2025.

Contents

Weight Loss, Exercise and Mental Health Catch-up

This week was my last weigh-in before our holiday, so I wanted to know my total loss so far. I have lost almost 2 stone! I am so pleased with that. Of course, I would always want more, but I am happy with that! I am hoping that I manage not to gain much on holiday despite being all-inclusive! We are driving a lot too for the holiday as we are driving to Mallorca, so I plan to keep active at every stop, but that might be difficult given my health at the moment.

That leads me nicely into telling you that when I said last week that I was still unwell but fortunately not on steroids or antibiotics, I spoke too soon. I am now on both antibiotics and steroids for a chest infection! What a way to start a holiday! That said, hopefully it clears up soon, and we have travel insurance if there are any problems, luckily! The GP said “I am not worried as you are staying in Europe, where you can always get admitted to the hospital if needed”! I mean, that puts your mind at rest, doesn’t it?

Mental health, well, I am still struggling if I am honest, but I think a lot of that is probably linked to not being well at the moment. I have had this dreaded bug/infection for 3 weeks now, well, just over 3 weeks if we are being pedantic! Hopefully, the holiday and medications will help, and I will see where I am when I get back!

Books

Since we have been busy packing for the holiday and I have felt quite rubbish, I have not read as much as usual. I finished my latest Freida McFadden book, The Boyfriend, which was good but, in my opinion, not one of her best.

I am currently reading The Woman With All The Answers by Linda Green on my Kindle. It is about a lady who is the voice of Alexa for a family. It is quite funny and really makes you think about family life and the different things you all ask AI like Alexa to do. It focuses on the family of Michelle, a 52-year-old district nurse who is juggling elderly family members, her job, her teenage kids and her husband, who keeps buying things he doesn’t need on eBay! Pauline, the human voice of Alexa for the family in the novel, decides to go rogue and teach Michelle all she knows! So far, I am really enjoying it for light-hearted reading.

Family and Life

Last week, I mentioned that Ben was getting an award at college for his English work, and he hadn’t decided if he wanted me to go or not! Well, I did go and see his work, met his tutors, and he even bought me lunch while we were out. He got an award for “creative genius” in English due to his extensive writing. There was one assignment with no set length requirement. Others had written around 500-700 words, Ben wrote 2200!! They were impressed with what he had written, though!

He has just finished Level 2 Photography and videography, and his tutors said that providing the external markers agree with their marks, he will have a distinction for it! I am so proud of him! He is planning on doing a Level 3 course in September. Who would have thought that Ben who only ever went to special needs schools and didn’t even speak until he was 5, would do so well?

I shared just over a week ago how I had my nails done as a treat. Well, I have only previously had them done a couple of times, about 12 years ago and both times the acrylics came off within a week. Apparently, I have very oil-producing nails! This time, the lady who did it recommended a nail dehydrator for a week before having them done and whilst they were on. Unfortunately, this didn’t help. My lovely nails have all come off again! It seems my nails just don’t like anything on them!