April 2012
35 posts
8 tags
April 30th
Busy day today. Hadn’t quite recovered from the lack of weekend sleep but it went quickly enough so that was good. I went to my first ‘stretch & relax’ class tonight. I’m hooked! It’s a mix of Tai Chi, Yoga, Pilates and relaxation techniques. Bliss! Came home to Skype both sets of parents and introduce our new family member. Butternut has been amazing. She walked...
4 tags
April 29th
We didn’t get much sleep last night due to the cats facing off! I gave up at 5.30am and came downstairs. Bobo came with me and has been at my side ever since. They’ll calm down eventually…
I hope!
28th April
Bobo has turned into an angsty teenager and Butternut is hiding under our bed! It can only get better…
I have a headache!
2 tags
April 27th
Bobo the cat hates me! Just forced a worming tablet down his throat…
April 26th
I have been tired today. We got up early to take the car to the garage and I was on my own today at work. The car ended up costing a buttload. :(
On the up side, we’re picking up our newest family member on Saturday!
Butternut the cat is about 18 months old and she will hopefully be the perfect companion for Bobo.
April 25th
Today was Open House day at work so it was a bit busy. I did the usual Wednesday stuff as well as some showing around and then sat through a rather uninspiring staff meeting in the afternoon.
This evening Richard and Jess came over to watch ‘God bless America’. I thought it was good but that the ending was a bit of an anticlimax. There are some top quotes to be had from it, though! I...
4 tags
April 24th
Busy day today. Work was constant paced and I did a spin class at lunchtime.
When I got home I made my friend a crocheted Aubergine, to go with her crocheted Banana. (Don’t ask!!)
April 23rd
Back to the doctor’s today for a diagnosis of ear, nose and throat infection! Prescription obtained, should it get any worse!
Work was manic today and very noisy with all the machinery going at once.
I cooked chicken wrapped in bacon for dinner tonight. There might also have been cheese involved…
Bobo is being so affectionate tonight! He’s currently leaning against me purring...
7 tags
April 22nd
This morning I baked!!
I have recently developed a small obsession with Rachael Khoo. She’s a cook living in Paris who has a really down-to-earth style. Look here up on BBC iPlayer.
Anyway, I was going to a friend’s house for a small gathering so I made a load of small chocolate gooey-in-the middle meringues and a load of Chouquettes - amazing small Choux balls of loveliness! :o)
...
April 21st
I’ve done quite a bit today! After a slow start (the boiler went out so I restarted it and stayed in bed until it was warm!) I went into work on the bike and helped with the Anagama kiln for a couple of hours. I stayed until the firing finished and no more work could be done. I hope the work comes out well. (None of it is mine).
After that I went to the market for veg and mooching! I...
7 tags
April 20th
It’s my 3 year anniversary of being in my job as 3D Design Technician today! Still loving the variety and learning opportunities. :o)
Today has been hectic, both at work and at home.
I was called in to the doctors this morning, after having had a blood test on Monday. It turns out that there is a reason for my rubbish short term memory and lethargy!! I’m really quite deficient in...
5 tags
April 18th
I had to repost this from my work blog because it amuses me greatly. (You’ll get this if you’re into Ceramics!)
I’ve just been over to the screen printing workshop because Pete has his really friendly, well-behaved dog in his office. Dog fix sorted for a while! (Makes me smile!)
5 tags
April 17th - LBTL
I’ve been thinking more about the Live Below The Line Campaign and I’ve decided that if I’m doing this on my own and am spending a fiver in one go and not doing it per portion then I’m going to go to the market to get most of my food. If I go at the very end of the day then I should get more for my money. It may not be pretty but it should be edible, especially if I cook...
5 tags
April 17th
Meetings for most of the day, followed by some short bursts of teaching and then workshop maintenance - It only took the students 3 days to completely mess up the plaster room. Ho hum!
This evening I made potato and parsnip wedges with leftover veggi chilli. I then mended Simon’s trousers and lazed on the sofa.
7 tags
April 16th
I am in bed and have been for a while, watching catch up TV! My life is so exciting…
Today I was rudely woken up at 4am by Bobo the cat, wanting attention so I’ve been a bit dopey.
I went to spin class at lunchtime - hard work but hopefully worth the effort.
This evening, Simon and I did some gardening and a tip run, which I followed by doing some sorting out of clothes that no...
3 tags
April 16th
Aaaand the students are back! ALL of them!! :o)
It’s been busy but not too manic today, thank goodness.
I started the day with a blood test, which you can’t really tell I’ve had, now, apart from one tiny red dot. Nurse with skills!
That’s it!
4 tags
April 15th
And we’re home! We went for lunch at one of the Heston Blumenthal Little Chef Restaurants (Nom!) before heading to Bicester Village on the way home. I managed to find a dress for my cousin’s wedding next month and to not bankrupt us in the process. (I could’ve spent a serious amount of money today!) Once we got home we did some work in the garden, taking 3 loads of garden waste...
April 14th
We’re still at Laura & Mike’s house. Got really rather drunk last night on a combination of Rum-based margarita, Prosecco, Calvados, Chilli spiced sambuca and various vodkas. As a consequence we were late getting up. M&L made us Arctic Dogs as a snack before we left the house. Here’s the recipe:
Venison sausage
Sweet mustard
Sliced gherkins
In a wrap!
We then went...
3 tags
April 13th - LBTL
Still thinking about the Live Below The Line Campaign…
I’m really not sure what to do about this but it *is* possible to buy a box of 10 eggs for £2. However, I’m not happy buying eggs that don’t say ‘Free Range’ on the box. So, what do I do? Should I buy the non-free range eggs and forego my moral and ethical principles, should I take the cost hit or should I...
5 tags
April 13th
Well, last night I used my friendship cake mix, ‘Herman’ to make the most scrumptious Swedish Cardamom Buns! :o)
I found the recipe here. Me being me, I substituted ground cardamom for fresh, which I peeled and ground a bit. I also ground the almonds myself, for a crunchier texture.
Definitely not SW friendly, but we’ve all got to live dangerously sometimes, plus once...
6 tags
April 12th
So, the carpet got shampooed yesterday and looks great now. (The dining room not so much as it’s filled with the living room!)
We’ll put it all back later tonight.
Yesterday, Alison gave me Herman, a portion of friendship cake. As we’re away this weekend I may just have to cook him tonight. I’m thinking dark choc chip ginger cake. Not very Slimming World friendly but I...
4 tags
April 12th - LBTL
I’ve been thinking about the Live Below The Line Campaign a lot today, which has produced nothing but questions:
-If there are two of you, you get a tenner for the week. Surely this is better as what you can buy is more varied?
-If you only use a portion of something, do you cost the whole thing or just what you’ve used?
-Poor people don’t have freezers or microwaves! (Am I...
4 tags
Live Below The Line Campaign
Today I’ve signed up for the Live Below The Line Campaign. (Anyone can!)
It’s a campaign to raise awareness of how many people manage to live on so little, not through choice, and how anyone can help to start to make things better.
I pick my charities carefully and usually only give to Cancer Research and The British Heart Foundation as I think that the more I can give to fewer...
6 tags
April 11th
I forgot to post yesterday! We went out on the motorbike to Ashby Folville for the first car and bike meet of the season. There were quite a few people there but is was by no means packed!
This morning, aside from nearly getting caught starkers by my colleague, who decided to pop round for a cuppa pre-9am whilst I was wandering round the house nekkid, I have managed to empty the living room of...
8 tags
April 9th
Well, my cousin has left to go home. Before she went I made sure we checked her car for the journey home. We topped up the screenwash, which was nearly out and topped up the coolant to halfway, as it was under min… Woops! I also got the pump out to check the tyres. Good job, too! :o) At least she’s safe now and has learnt a bit more about car maintenance. She’s only been driving...
6 tags
April 8th - Easter Sunday
Well, we all had a lie in today after last night’s late one. In the afternoon, my cousin and I went to the cupcake shop for Easter cupcakes. NOM!
This evening I made us Philly-stuffed chicken breasts wrapped in bacon for dinner. Equally NOM!
We’re off to the cinema in a bit to watch The Hunger Games. I hope it’s good!
Easter
Just back from the pub with my almost 18 year old cousin! Lie in tomorrow…
6 tags
April 6th
We had a great time at Alton towers yesterday. Simon’s parents both went on Thirteen! We stayed in a hotel with a spa last night, which was lovely.
This morning we went to Ashbourne before heading home.
Anyway, here are some pics to prove that it really did snow on Wednesday!
Just for good measure, here’s my handsome boy!
5 tags
April 5th - Happy Birthday Simon!
Well, we’re off to Alton Towers for Simon’s birthday today. I’ve booked us into a hotel with a spa later so we’ll be back home tomorrow. Let’s hope that Bobo the cat doesn’t have any wild parties whilst we’re gone!
March 4th
I don’t believe it! It’s been snowing heavily this morning. It’s raining hard now and nothing has settled but snow? Seriously?!
7 tags
April 3rd
Okay, so I’ve been really lax in not posting for the last 2 days… My excuse is that I’ve had a headache for the last 3 weeks and I’m not in work this week so my usual routine is broken!
I went to the doctor’s today just to make sure the headache isn’t something sinister. I have to say that he was the best GP I’ve ever seen for being a) Friendly b) Not...
March 2012
34 posts
6 tags
March 31st
Well, today I have:
-Deforested my legs with the epilator;
-Re-packed and sent back some jeans that were too big for me;
-Bought fresh fruit and veg at the market;
-Eaten a whole punnet of strawberries to myself;
-Renewed my library books;
-Played lots of ‘Words with friends’ and ‘Draw something’;
-Started making and writing up the pattern for a cool iPad case.
All...
