Don't touch the princess mug!

2011-03-07T23:34:00.000Z

Come and join me at my new home

Turret Tales

(there'll be cake...)

2011-02-15T22:18:00.000Z

It's all been rather quiet here for the last few months

The same is not true of my non-blog world

Amongst the birthdays, Christmases, parties and other such things I...
- was promoted at work
- dyed my hair red
- moved into a little one bed flat of my own
(and if you can see where the above is going)
- left the Lovely Boy

This blog has meant a lot to me for the last few years
but I am now in a different place physically and mentally
I shall return with a new internet home soon
but for the moment my focus is needed elsewhere

See you when that place is found

x

A Year in Pictures 11-18

2010-10-12T21:48:00.000+01:00

Day 11 - 05/10/2010

The Lovely's Diner
(I liked the symmetry I achieved)

Day 12 - 06/10/2010

Devoured chocolate orange
It had gone off. Sort of (end of September) so it "needed" eating. It was good, I won't lie.

Day 13 - 07/10/2010

On Colmore Row
I spotted this while on my lunch time walk and thought that really its more of a reason to look up.

Day 14 - 08/10/2010

Friday Team Building

Day 15 - 09/10/2010

Mushrooms in the park
We went for a walk and there they were, growing merrily by the side of a tree. I think they may be poisonous, but they were still rather lovely

Day 16 - 10/10/2010

Part of the Lovely's birthday present (which was day 15).
We watched the entire thing in two days. Luckily there are two further series for our viewing pleasure.

Day 17 - 11/10/2010

Shadows on a wall
I caught them just as the light had them looking all glorious and autumny. Very nice indeed :)

Day 18 - 12/10/2010

The new Library.
Last week this was nothing but a concrete hole blocked from view. In less than a week its become a towering ediffice in the centre of Birmingham...

My word that was something of a bumper edition; I can't say that its been manic (except for day 15) but for some reason I just never got round to posting... Still, I'll be interested to see what the rest of my week is due to bring!

x

A Year in Pictures 10

2010-10-04T21:22:00.000+01:00

Day 10 - 04/10/2010

Cafe

This place is on my walk to and from the station and every day for over a year now it has made me smile. I love the bold text of the signage, the clear colours, the simplicity with which it lets you know what they sell and, most importantly, the fact that it very clearly shows where it is. American readers will (probably) not know this, but in the UK there is a divide between those who talk about "Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner" and those who talk about "Breakfast, Dinner and Tea". To put it simply, the first is said by soft southerners, and the latter is very much a northern thing. I've heard (and read) countless stories of people being confused when invited to tea or dinner, particuarly at uni which is normally the first time people get exposed to the "other" way of thinking. Personally its never really affected me, as I have a southerner for a Dad and a Welsh mum, which results in dinner and tea being interchangable on a regular basis.

But to get back on point, the very first time I saw this sign it made me smile. Here, almost more than anything else I've come across in Birmingham is something that says "Southern? SOUTHERN? We're the Midlands thank you very much, and don't you forget it!"

x

A Year in Pictures 7-9

2010-10-03T15:26:00.000+01:00

Day 7 - 01/10/2010

The sunset

I was walking from my house to a friend's for dinner* and the sunset was just phenomenal. It had downpoured pretty spectacularly for an hour before this [causing, unspectacularly a realisation that the drains may be blocked and three inches of gross in our yard. Luckily its all sorted now] and the sky looked as though it had just been washed out ready for the sun. Given that I was walking away from the sunset I still took about 10 pictures and turned round every 30 seconds just to gasp.

Day 8 - 02/10/2010

A corsage

This was made for me by my host at dinner last night as a favour. Yet more proof (if I needed it!) that that girl is a very clever stick indeed.

Day 9 - 03/10/2010

Brunch

Leftover vegetables and spaghetti soup = my favourite kind. This is just the sort of thing you want to eat when its drizzly, a little bit cold, and a little bit too wintry outside!

*Dinner was: Baba Ganoush and flat breads, Lamb Tagine and Couscous, White Chocolate and Mint Mousse [divine!] and Chocolate covered Turkish Delight with Mint Tea

A Year in Pictures 4-6

2010-09-30T22:57:00.004+01:00

Day 4 - 28/09/2010

The Millenium Bridge
On the way back from Tate Modern (I was at the opening of the Gauguin exhibition dontchaknow) St Pauls just looked too glorious not to try capturing it
ps. I saw David Dimbleby, Nancy Dell'Olio and Ed Vaizey [boo hiss] whilst there...

Day 5 - 29/09/2010

Sunset over the Mailbox
Or rather, sunset over a building I saw from the Mailbox as I walked from work to choir. At any rate the way the sun just caught the top of the building made me gasp a little

Day 6 30/09/2010

Five fat and one thin garlic clove
The beginnings of mac and cheese, my attempt at culinary excellence for dinner this evening.

x

A Year in Pictures

2010-09-27T21:56:00.002+01:00

So I mentioned yesterday that I have a cunning long term plan. Well, its not that cunning, nor is it that original, but its something new to me and that's all that counts.

The plan? Post one picture from every day in the next year. That's not to say there won't be other posts, nor will there be a post every day, but it should be something to make me look a bit more closely at everything I do.

Likewise, the start date isn't a relevant date (although it is the day before a significant date), but its the day I decided to start, and that seems good enough to me!

So sit back, and be prepared for lots of slightly inconsequential pictures that may (or may not) show a little bit more of my life. Oh, and here's days 1 to 3....

Day 1 - 25/09/2010

A bridge on the Rea Valley Walk.
I love the way that the silouhette isn't the focus of attention but is still noticeable.
You can get on to this walk from the end of our road but, for some reason, Saturday was the first day that we'd decided in over a year to see what it was like. We'll definitely be there again soon.

Day 2 - 26/09/2010

A Country Bramble cocktail [gin, creme de cassis and apple juice].
Something delicious to drink at the end of a rather relaxed day (although don't bother reading the recipe in Diffords - I did but forgot it and did alright anyway)

Day 3 - 27/09/2010

Blue my mind [its actually called that!]
The impulse buy at lunchtime today. And yes, I have been looking at Christmas recipes in an attempt to pretend to plan my head

more to come very very soon...
x

My summer in pictures

2010-09-26T20:39:00.002+01:00

Colourful houses in downtown Kuala Lumpur

A message for life at the entrance to the knock-off market

Back to the SkyBar (an icon of the previous tour) for drinks and pictures

Steps up to the Batu Caves

Inside the Batu Caves

Crab Island

At a friend's wedding

The place settings (I loved them)

A different wedding, this time in Oxford, and with a very large amount of rain

My entry into the work's Bake Off

And my prize for winning it

Beerfest Barbie and her Ken (Peterborough 2010)

The world's largest Cornish Pasty (with pint glass for scale)

Tippy tippy....

The marker of a traditional English market

Lichfield Cathedral

Interesting collection of services for one store

Oxford Uni's Museum of Natural History

The Pitt Rivers Museum (complete with Totem Pole!)

Preparations for my birthday party (including teapots filled with cocktails)

And nights out summed up succinctly:
Red Wine, Desperados and happy thumbs up from all

There are ideas afoot for a new feature involving me, a camera, and making sure I remember about it. I also plan on getting back into the blogging swing after a summer off (because even without being affected by the school holidays [apart from an easier commute] there is still a part of me that forever looks on September as being the start of a new year. I think having a birthday in the month probably helps!).

22 before 23; the update

2010-08-15T19:40:00.000+01:00

There's now less than a month to go before my birthday, so I thought that the time was ripe for some kind of update about The List. I've tried to be eloquent, I've definitely tried to be honest, and, where possible, I've chucked in a link for good measure. Unfortunately, I've not been too great on the blogging front in recent months so a couple of things are missing, but I think you'll get the gist!

So, in ~~no particular order~~ the order I wrote the list in....

1.Knit a jumper for the Lovely Boy
It nearly killed me, but this was done. It was his Christmas present (even if it was given nearly a month late) and I am very proud to say that not only is it still worn on occassion, but as far as I can tell its holding up pretty darned well :) Although maybe I'll wait a while before doing another jumper for him!

2.Learn to crotchet
I've not yet managed this, although there has been a guest post over at A Thrifty Mrs this week on this very subject so there is hope yet!

3.Try to get to a museum or art gallery every month
September - Telling Tales at the V&A
October - Taking Time at BMAG (took part in installation making)
November - Kew Gardens
November - Taking Time at BMAG
December - whoops
January - also whoops
February - Jão Maria Gusmão and Pedro Paiva, Clare Rojas at Ikon Gallery
March - whoops again
April - and again
May - Art Bus; Ron Terada, Susan Collis at Ikon, RBSA, Objects of Affection at Barber Institute of Fine Arts
June - a final whoops
July - Sargent and the Sea, Royal Academy of Arts
July -National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
August - Harold E. Edgerton at Ikon offsite

This has been a bit of an up and down, but I think I've managed pretty well. Maybe my job helps with that, but so what if it does? At least its a step in the right direction!

4.Make Jam
Around December I had a big glut of preserving where I made Christmas Chutney, Chilli Jam, and had a go at Mincemeat. Its definitely something I'd like to try again, but at the same time I'm not in too much of a rush to do it (especially based on the mess!).

5.Go for a walk in the Lickey Hills
This should really have been one of the easiest on the list; you get to the Lickey Hills by going four stops down the train line from where we live. Yet somehow we still haven't yet made it. However, we're having a holiday at home the week leading up to my birthday and this is on our list of possible destinations

6.Master the art of piping icing
I tried, I really did, but every time I tried I swear I got worse. The future does look bright though as in the newest Lakeland catalogue I noticed that they sell icing syringes which look like a far simpler way to get my head around this ridiculous challenge!

7.Read Ulysses
I'll be honest, I've not even tried. There were too many other books that I wanted to read that got in the way. I have a suspicion that this may be a recurring feature of my life!

8.Knit gloves and/or mittens
In a bid to get this one down, I had a go at making Fetching (ravelry link) and as a result got myself a lovely pair of hand warmers early in the winter. Well they went so well that the next step was full on fingered gloves, and so, using an altered form of Fetching someone gave me which I then adapted for my own needs I made up a gorgeous pair of blue gloves for Lovely no-longer Housemate for Christmas. The next step on my gloves and mittens mission is either striped gloves OR fingerles gloves that convert into mittens. Or both. Not made any firm decisions on this one yet...

9.Learn to play a song on the guitar without looking or going wrong
I think this one was hindered by my not picking up a guitar all year, despite there being three in our house...

10.Make a fabric pinboard for my craft room
Not only did I not do this one, but my craft room has now become a junk room, which is a very sad state of affairs. Currently, as well as my crafting bits and pieces, there is an inordinate quantity of paper, cardboard boxes from the move, the Lovely's homebrew stuff, a chest of drawers filled with linens, some suitcases, two double duvets in Ikea bags, a suitcase with another suitcase inside it and two clothes horses that are (almost) always out. However, plans are afoot for an overhaul of the room but, as well as taking some time, this is something which needs some SERIOUS thought, not least because my budget for sorting it out is about 50p.

11.Sew a skirt
A byproduct of the state of the above if I'm honest. I do work with someone who is a demon of a seamstress who has said she'll teach me to sew skirts properly though, so it should hopefully not be too long before this is done

12.Go to the cinema when there are films I want to see, especially
Where the Wild Things Are
Alice in Wonderland
Up
Sherlock Holmes
I failed here. I saw WWTA, Up and Sherlock Holmes but still haven't seen Alice, nor have I been back to the cinema since January. A very sad state of affairs but one I'm pretty sure will be like this forever - as much as I hate to admit it, I'm just not very much of a movie-goer.

13.Cook a roast dinner
Not only did I do this, but, in my humble opinion I did it well. It came about on Christmas day which saw me roast a pheasant. I'm already planning this year's dinner!

14.Watch the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice
Again one I didn't do, but, spurred on by the process of writing this up, I had a look on Amazon found the box set for £6 and have ordered it. The Lovely is away for a week in a fortnight's time so I plan on crashing my way through it then!

15.Go to Lichfield
Like 5 this should have been easy, and, like 5 its something we've got planned for our home holiday. I'll let you know how well I get on...

16.Read more graphic novels
Well I think I've done this one, but its been a bit difficult to keep track! At any rate its still something I've got an interest in and hope to carry on being interested in.

17.Go to Edinburgh and climb to the top of the castle
Didn't even come close. Maybe one day though...

18.Go to York
It would seem that travelling hasn't been managed very much with this list. Must try harder?

19.Embroider more
I've done a little here and there, most significantly as a last minute gift I embroidered my Dad's initials on to some hankies for father's day. I'm quite excited by the new Alicia Paulson book and hope to get a copy as I think this may spur me on to do some more.

20.Climb Glastonbury Tor
Did this with bells on (metaphorically!) along with everyone else in Somerset on New Years Day. It was glorious.

21.Go to Brighton
See 17 and 18 for poor excuses

22.Read all my unread books
Why do I never learn that in order to do this I must stop buying new books? I think this may be just too unrealistic a goal!

So there we have it - a year (ish) condensed(ish) into one long list. I'd be really interested to know what your take is on it, and also whether you think for the next year I should have a list or a project (like this one). I can't decide....

More regular blogging will soon follow (life permitting)
xxx

Diamonds are forever...

2010-07-04T19:17:00.002+01:00

and forever and forever...

At least that's the way it seems at the moment. I'm currently making this

and whilst the back went together in no time at all, I am now on my THIRD attempt at the first of two front panels.

I have managed to make it this far without frogging....

But to cheer myself up (and, hopefully, stop me from having to start a third time) I made a rather pretty little stitch marker to remind me just where it is I am (that and I have a crib sheet that I'm marking off as I go).

It turns out I'd forgotten just how much is stored in the shelving unit in the spare room. I really should jump in and pick up some of those things again (especially sewing...), but it seems like there is hardly any time for anything at the moment, not least because this time next week I'll be packing to head out of the country (sans Lovely).

But what has there been time for? Well, there has been time for an experiment using a top secret cake recipe

See - it even says so on the picture (yes, I am that bad at paint!).
Some of you might follow Mrs Magpie's blog The Sight of Morning. Well earlier this week she posted a picture of a lemon drizzle cake that had been made over at Chez Magpie and it had achieved something my LDCs never have - a truly crunchy top. As ultimate proof of the loveliness of the internet, Mrs Magpie sent me the recipe, and in true Blue Peter style, here's [the] one I made earlier!

For some reason the layers didn't plump up as nicely as they did in the original, but I think its probably my tins (which were about 1/4" bigger than specified). I may try adding baking powder into the mix next time to see if it makes a difference.

And as for the secret of the crunchy topping?

Well that's something I'm just not at liberty to disclose!

Hope you all have a lovely week ahead of you; I'm off to the Royal Academy for the opening of their latest exhibition don't y'know (definitely one of the bigger perks of my job!).
x

Recently I have been....

2010-06-27T16:42:00.004+01:00

Trying to take photos of myself (and failing)

*

Eating cake which at first looks blue...

...but is actually a giant rainbow!

Hurrah for making bets!
Whilst I didn't make it, I did get the best comeback line ever.
In response to "so how are you going to better it?" I said;
"By making it in the right order"
Zing Pow.

*

Finding joy in charity shops

(anyone know where I can get a matching milk jug?)

*

Going to local gigs

*

Gasping in amazement at seeing a Shetland Pony on the grass between here and the chippy

*

Being honest!

*

Seeing if I can pull off wearing (fake) flowers in my hair (not entirely sure)

*

Being three inches braver (though it frightens me)

*

Loving my new handbag

and seeing just how much I can fit into it

*

Making the most of the glorious weather by washing
everything in our house and seeing this on a regular basis

And as well as all of this, I have been forgetting to take my camera out on a regular basis, thus missing out on photos of;
Chamber choir rehearsals held in the sun in a back garden with beer a plenty
Visiting the gorgeous new flat block my friend has moved to (and the fairy cakes I took with me)
Horrific sun marks after sitting in the sun a moment too long
Lots of sunshine pub moments
The canalside picnic during the 'dinner interval' of Lohengrin
Not one but two delicious upside-down-red-onion-pies
The back of a cardigan I'm hoping to have finished in time for Malaysia (but given that's a fortnight away I doubt it!)

Once again I find it has been a month since my last post. I really have no excuses, but I find that working in front of a computer screen for seven hours a day makes me far less eager to switch the laptop on when I get home. I do try and keep up with all of you, but even that seems to slip by the wayside from time to time. I don't want to write off this blog, its been too important in terms of introducing me to so many of you lovely people and has been great for me as a means of recording things I've done. I'm not sure what it is I'm trying to say; perhaps that normal service has resumed, but that normal service is at a considerably reduced rate compared with the earlier days of this blog.

Is that eloquent or is it just a jumble?

x

seen but unseen

2010-05-18T22:38:00.003+01:00

Portobello Road, Notting Hill

The Natural History Museum

Ikon Gallery, Birmingham

Sometimes the things I like to look at are obvious, like dinosaur skeletons, and sometimes they aren't, like graffitti on a wall or a carving at the top of a building.
I think its the things that aren't that feel more rewarding
Maybe because it feels like you're seeing something that might never have been seen before
or maybe something that has been seen but has never been noticed

Every day when I walk to work there are about five of these seen but unseens
One day I will photograph them all

Until then you will have to make do with some seen but unseens that other people will also have noticed but which are still a secret

xxx

There is no before

2010-05-11T20:11:00.002+01:00

There is however an after.

And, truth be told its quite a drastic after at that....

(as a guide, when I sat down at the hairdressers the chair dug just below my shoulder blades. According to the lovely lady who cut my hair, the hair hung to below the start of the chair!)

Excited? I am a little :)
x

Too much sugar?

2010-04-25T20:18:00.002+01:00

Lunch on Tuesday (and, incidentally half of it was breakfast on wednesday)

Baking this afternoon (there were 9 more in the oven when this was taken)

(if only the dye in the smarties hadn't run out in the baking)

Added to that quite a few drinks
(work being the main culprit, but dinner with Lanterloo may not have helped),
and my sugar intake for the last week starts to look positively dangerous!

Are you being more virtuous? x

Inspired by the prior

2010-04-15T12:00:00.003+01:00

It's no secret that I am a fan of baking; indeed fan is the wrong word - I'm a baking geek (see covert pictures of the last post). So, after my (minor) disappointment last tuesday, it felt only right that I should spend the weekend bettering it. I used the Hummingbird Bakery's chocolate cupcake recipe, to see if I could get the sponge as light as before, but decided to leave out faffing with pistachios just for now; they can wait till I've got it to a T.

The result of my trials? Easter Cupcakes!

(who cares that they're a week late?)

It was good not just for my stomach (and the Lovely's for that matter), but also because I got to use my cupcake stand. I must remember to use it as a prop more often; what's the point of having it otherwise?
I managed to get a lovely picture (at least so I feel), just as the light was fading, of the cakes next to some Daffs I got for cheaps in Co-Op on friday...

I can't believe the speed at which they've gone from tiny tight buds to beautiful blooms. It reminds me again of just how much flowers cheer up a house and how much I love having them around!

And one more lovely thing from this weekend... the Lovely's mum and dad came to visit, along with his granny and grandad and we went for a delicious pub lunch just down the road. Coming back to the house, the Lovely's Dad brought out the frame we'd asked him to make for us for a map we bought from Stanford's at Christmas.

Isn't it the most beautiful frame you've ever seen? And the fact that he managed to match the wood stain to the (mdf) bookcases was even more amazing. A moment to really revel in just how amazing handmade things are :)

And how have you been recently?
xxx

Where I work

2010-04-12T19:41:00.003+01:00

When I work in London, look what is just around the corner from me...

Tuesday's special? Chocolate and Pistachio Cupcakes

(note the covert pictures taken from my desk)

The cake itself was fantastic, though I think that the buttercream was slightly too sugary for my liking, unless you took quite a large bite. I also think that the term "and Pistachio" was very deceptive as there were no pistachios in the cake itself (that I could taste) and if there were any in the icing they were so finely ground that the flavour was masked by the vanilla and sugar of the buttercream. Still good though, and I suspect something that will become a weekly occurence!

To finish, one of the things I see as I walk towards the office each time I'm in London. Pretty spectacular me thinks....

Happy monday :)
xxx

Pretty Little Things

2010-04-07T12:00:00.001+01:00

Some of the pretty little things that have entered my life recently;

A tea set comprising of one milk jug, five cups and seven saucers

The milk jug

The cups in more detail

Why the odd numbers? Well, very many moons ago I went to a wedding anniversary party where afternoon tea was served. The hostess had spent months previously trawling local charity shops for tea sets, claiming anthing she saw and then spread the wealth amongst those she knew would appreciate it afterwards.

They've been put on the top of our large bookcase as we don't have any other shelf space available! I now have designs on getting more sets and put a mix match up there, although I will confess that the Lovely is less convinced!

My new-job treat to myself

So theoretically this should have been bought once I'd received my first pay packet, but that isn't until the end of the month, and given that I'm using it on a weekly basis at the moment, it made a lot more sense for me to buy it now (obviously!). I'd like to say that as a result of this I won't be buying myself a treat when the pay packet does come through, but I think we all know that won't stick!

The Hobbit

I loved this book when I was younger, reading from the copy that my mum had had when she was a little. For some reason I'd not read it in years and it had sorted drifted out of my consciousness. Then, when on the train last monday morning I discovered that there were only ten pages left in the book I was reading, obviously I had to find a bookshop and pick up something new. Well, why get something new when you can get something old yet much loved? It was definitely worth reading again, and although I do have a large, large pile of books to read, its spurred me on to re-read some of my other favourites...

Have a lovely wednesday
xxx

Happy April!

2010-04-04T18:00:00.000+01:00

Well my word its been a while. I knew I hadn't posted in a week or two, but six weeks?!

Turns out, time really can run away with you when ou're least expecting it! And I'd love to be able to show you pictures of everything that's happened over that time, but I'll admit that I just kept forgetting to pull my camera out at important times

But what can I show you? Well, I've been very busy on the knitting front. As I mentioned a while back, a friend of mine is expecting her first baby two weeks tomorrow. Well I've finished the baby blanket

and a few more things beside!

The cardi will have a teensy carrot stitched on to it; the running joke is that that is all she's spent her Healthcare in pregnancy grant on!
I do still have about 25g left of the white yarn, but I haven't got a clue what else to make. Any suggestions? Its DK knit if you have an ideas...

There's also been a lot of cooking going on here. There was the Lemon Drizzle Cake for work that went in an hour and a half, homemade hobnobs when my Grandma came to visit (as well as a Spanish Feast to die for courtesy of the Lovely), easter nests (well it is that time of year) and a fantastic pie for dinner last night that was very much a joint effort between myself and the Lovely.

Mmm.... pastry goodness :)

I've also now started my job, so am spending about half of my life in London. Benefits of this include working in a building that's within the Natural History/Science Musuem complex in South Kensington, getting to try nice restaurants for dinner, and, best of all I got to meet up with the ever lovely Miranda in Hampstead last tuesday. She took me to a very nice pub indeed and it was lovely to get out of South Kensington for dinner; part of the problem of staying a five minute walk from the office is that unless you know where you're going its a bit daunting to venture to a different district for dinner when you're eating on you're own! I'm tempted to be brave and go into the centre on tuesday - I really fancy going to Mildred's as I've had some really nice food there in the past when I've been with the Lovely. That or maybe Wahaca, or maybe I'll just bottle it and end up in the pub round the corner from my hotel!

Anyway, I hope you're all well - those posts I've seen recently seem to suggest as much!
Hope you're all having a happy Easter (I'm revelling in the fact that for the first weekend in ages we've barely left the house :D) and I'm sure I'll seee you all soon

xxx

Scratch My Back....

2010-02-16T21:03:00.003Z

I haven't posted in a long time. I'll readily admit that (not least because there's no escaping the fact when your posts are dated!).

But whilst not a lots been going on here, that's not to say everything has been quiet on the Birmingham front - its more that I have been so exhausted so much of the time through a combination of doing things, being run down and the complete greyness everywhere that when I have had a chance to post all I've wanted to do is push the laptop aside and instead curl up on the sofa.
(On a side note I think that this non-posting is also linked in with the fact that I haven't read a book since Christmas, something I find incredibly weird, as I think that my brain just hasn't wanted to have to deal with thinking!)

However, despite the snuffles currently plaguing me, I'm finally breaking back through again. I've picked up a book (although I do occassionally shout at the person who owned it before me and wrote some rather silly things in the margins - its a genuine part of the joy of Oxfam books), started to feel a bit more smiley (hurrah for the sun!) and lo and behold, I've actually managed to get my fingers to the board and write a post.

Reason one is the fact that the sun is shining again. There is something so wonderful about the way the sun shines in winter, weak yet bold, as if its gathering strength again after having a sleep.

Reason two is that I've got back into the habit of listening to music again, not the least because I'm doing a lot of mindless data entry at work at the moment so I've got music to keep me sane. There is something so uplifting about a certain lyric, or a chord progression, or the sweep of the orchestration as the sun pushes through from the clouds that makes not just my face but my entire being smile. I've been positively beaming on occassions and I'm sure it must confuse my colleagues!
(on the music front, I am at the moment listening to the free preview (which might only be available to uk users) of Peter Gabriel's newest album called Scratch My Back, in which he covers songs by his favourite artists (a lot of whom are my favourites too :D) and in return they'll cover songs of his for a later album. This is so unbelievable beautiful that my first thing to do tomorrow lunch is head to the nearest record store and buy a copy. Its truly magical, especially the version of Mirrorball (though I've not made it through the album yet) (also I might be biased being something of a lifelong Gabriel fan, both for his solo work and his work with one of my favouritests of favourites - Genesis)

And reason three? Well, way back at the start of january I had an interview at work for a permanent position (I work through a temping agency at the moment) and they offered me the job. However, part of my reason for not letting slip sooner and also for my being blue nonetheless is that my start date was supposed to be the 12th April which even now seems like a very long time away. However, today I found out that they're bringing it back to the 29th of March with some training down in London the week before, and suddenly, it seems a lot closer and a lot more real!

Well this has been something of a rambling post! Maybe its because having spent so long without writing anything it all had to come out at once?
Tomorrow I'm off to my second exhibition of the month (which sort of makes up for not going anywhere in December or January), this time to Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Then I have a rehearsal this weekend with Peter Sellars (don't worry if you had to google him - I did!) which should be one of the most exciting things I ever do in my music making life. Then there's birthday meals out (friends not me), the concerts with Simon Rattle (to be broadcast on radio 3) at the start of March, dinner with other friends, the completion of baby clothes for those friends, the start of a jumper for myself, a visit from the Lovely's parents and a separate visit from my Grandma and before you know it'll I'll be starting my job!
(In other words, I'll try my hardest to get back on the posting wagon, but if I don't its all me, not you)

Keep happy and listen to music - it really is a miraculous cure for the weather worn soul
xxx

Coming soon....

2010-02-03T22:21:00.002Z

News about this month's gallery visit (which was very exciting as it was an exhibition opening!)

An update on the success of the bake sale (and the cupcakes....)

An update on the bi-ba-bla-ba-ba

And some random things that I think about between then and now

Happy wednesday
x

Following

2010-01-31T22:24:00.002Z

Following is an interesting thing
I've always followed through Google Reader - not least because it means that if you are a blogger, but not a Blogger, I can still see you in one place. Hurrah!

But Alli at OnePearlButton brought up a very interesting thing earlier this week - the niceness that is seeing that people "follow" your blog when you log into the Dashboard. So, following her lead (that word again...) I've clicked "follow" on all of the blogger blogs I already followed secretly (as it were) on Google Reader
So whilst I will still read them all through Reader, when I can, I'll follow you too, as, if you're anything like me, you'll have a little smile that someone is reading your blog after all :)

xxx

ps. just realised this sounds like a "follow me, please" post - so I should just add that this is not something I expect anyone else to do, I just thought it would be a nice way to show my appreciation of blogs that I like x

Cream Cheese Clarity

2010-01-31T22:00:00.000Z

Its no secret that here in this house we're fans of Red Velvet Cake in its various forms. So what better to cook for tomorrow's charity bakesale at work than this delectable delicious-ness?

Now whilst its no secret that its a favourite, up until today I have had a shameful secret which has affected the RVC.... My inability to make perfect cream cheese frosting. Sure, it tastes alright, but for some reason I could never get it to look right, and the reason why had always elluded me. But, today, joy of joys, I realised just where it was I was going wrong, thanks to a rather lovely cookbook.

And the answer?

Patience.
It turns out that this whole time, whilst I thought that beating well was enough, it needed a full FIVE MINUTES of intense Wendy action to get the frosting perfect
(I feel I should point out that previously I'd made frosting by hand, which, in a rough ratio of 1 Wendy Powered Minute = 5 Rhiannon powered minutes would mean a full 20 minutes if I'd done it by hand...)

And look how beautifully they all turned out when I gave it just a bit more patience than ever before....

And of course the obligatory "artsy" shot of a single cupcake.... (although can you blame me considering how lovely it is?)

Now before I leave you for the evening, I want to share one more thing with you. It is my handy-dandy (not yet) patented technique to prevent icing sugar whizzing all over the kitchen...

Ta dah!

Yes, that's right, its the ever-clever magic cling-film technique. Simple it may be, but that doesn't stop it from being highly effective. No cleaning for me!
(ok, less cleaning, but still there wasn't icing sugar covering every surface and that really is a success)

Have a lovely monday, and indeed a lovely February as come midnight a whole month of this new year will have already passed, and far quicker than expected!

Books books books.....

2010-01-28T12:00:00.001Z

I saw this meme on Swirmish of Wit's blog the other day and thought it looked like a good game to play, so here goes....

1.) Go to your bookshelves...
2.) Close your eyes. If you're feeling really committed, blindfold yourself.
3.) Select ten books at random. Use more than one bookcase, if you have them, or piles by the bed, or... basically, wherever you keep books.
4.) Use these books to tell us about yourself - where and when you got them, who got them for you, what the book says about you, etc. etc.....

Now I will admit that we store all our books in one place (for the most part) so it was a case of trying to get one from every shelf without figuring out what it was, and that I may have replaced one or two because they either aren't mine or haven't been read yet.... whoops.....
However, here are the ten!

1. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
This was bought for my A levels, and one of the most battered books that I own - indeed quite a few of the books in this list have sprung out of studying. However I love Atwood's writing, and had read her stuff before this. Though I think it was the studying that opened this book up for me, which, in turn, has opened up some of her other books further than I thought! Definitely a fantastic read that I would recommend to others (though I might recommend some of her other novels more...)

2. The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly
This was one of those books that you see again and again on 3 for 2, and, as much as we shouldn't, I did buy it on the principle that its cover was gorgeous. It was a bit of a while since I've read it, so there was a bit of blurb reading to refamiliarise myself, but I do remember having some very interesting discussions with my mum about it - not least because it appears that its going to be quite a gentle book (not sure that's the right word...) and it was a lot darker than anticipated, with some undertones that could have been disturbing if pushed further. Don't let that turn you off though, it was a good book.

3. The Man in the High Castle - Philip K Dick
The copy I picked out actually belongs to the Lovely, I have a copy living in my parents' house that I picked up in a discount shop after having read the (in my opinion better) Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. Still a good example of Dick's writing though, particuarly because it forces you to think of things that you might not otherwise

4. Sophie's World - Jostein Gaarder
I first read Sophie's World when I was 15/16 and it taught me an awful lot about philosophy without feeling either patronising or too confusing to deal with. I finally bought myself a copy last summer, but haven't felt mentally ready to tackle it since! Possibly that's because the first time I had no idea what to expect, nor instant access to the internet - now, my head feels more concerned with trivialities (which in turn frustrates me, but we'll leave that for another post...) and I know that I'd be on wikipedia having a deeper look at it all at the end of every page!

5. Women in Love - D.H. Lawrence
Another course book, this time from one of my last modules at uni. Its fantastic, and was one of the few books that I read on my course that was completely effortless and the sort of book that I was really really pleased to have pointed out to me. The novel has a wonderful way of shifting its perspective back and forth and from person to person as the book progreses, which keeps you always thinking and gives really interesting insights to each character. As a result of reading this I have since been searching for a copy of The Rainbow which is a sort of prequel (in that it contains some of the same characters), but which (I am told) has a slightly more springtime/uplifting feel to it

6. Le Morte D'Arthur - Thomas Malory
I bought this from the second hand floor in Blackwells in Oxford when I went up for an open day. I then went on to study parts of it in my second year at uni, but have never managed to read the entire thing - maybe this year will be the year?

7. Orlando - Virginia Woolf
And another course book... At this rate you're all going to think I have the most limited reading range ever! However, Woolf is fabulous and this book is fabulous and so I command you all to read it as soon as you can if you haven't already - and yes that was a command! :P

8. Tipping the Velvet- Sarah Waters
I bought this after seeing the television adaptation and wanting to read the original book. I love it, and (whilst I am turning into something of a gushy reader) it set me on the course to reading more of her books, which have all been pretty good - though I've yet to find one that I think matches Tipping the Velvet. Perhaps its less that they need to match it, and more that I need to think about the progression her writing has made, as in that sense Nightwatch is definitely better than TTV - maybe it is just a nostalgia thing!

9. The Testament of Gideon Mack - James Robertson
Its a sign of my buying habits during uni that this was another 3 for 2 - it felt like I was saving money if I bought (non-course books) in 3 for 2.... This book was really interesting, as the premise of the whole book is based upon whether or not you believe the words of one person. I think its one I'd recommend to pretty much anyone, as its not the most difficult book to read, but, if you let it, you can explore it far more than you might otherwise

10. How to Be a Domestic Goddess - Nigella Lawson
Well I couldn't not include a cook book could I?! I'll admit that I conciously picked this one out, but part of that is because this is my most used book, one that I go to time and again, regardless of whether I'm looking for a reference point on a well known, much loved recipe, or whether I'm instead trying to pick something new and exciting to try.

And what exactly is it that my books say about me? Well I think I'll leave that to you to decide!

x

bi-ba-bla-bla-bla

2010-01-26T12:00:00.000Z

OR The Big Bad Baby Blanket, if you'd prefer!

For the first time in my adult life, I have a real-world friend who is pregnant. This is very exciting, not least for the couple involved, but, in a selfish way, its very exciting for me as it means that I get to knit baby things!

Using some of the wool that I've accumulated in my stash, I've started knitting th Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch And Bitch (ravelry link above), and you know what? I absolutely love it! I mean, look how gorgeous it is!

And look how prettily everything makes itself up with the frontwards/backwards stockinette stitch

Its also knitting together remarkably quickly, to the point where after less than a week I'm already half way through. In real life, the colours are a bit brighter, but they are very much beautiful. I'm hoping the mum-to-be will love it, but if not, then I'd be more than happy to keep it for myself!

x

Find of the year?

2010-01-24T22:01:00.003Z

There are many things I like about my local Oxfam bookshop, not least because for an unbelievably reasonably price, you can get a stack of books like this....

But even better is the special cabinet by the counter where books like this are kept....

Books like what? I hear you ask. Why, books like this!

With front pages that look like this

Well, when you're faced with a find like this you need to take advantage of it - who was to say it would still be there the next time I came in?

Could this be the best find of 2010? So far, it seems to be that way!

x

Number 1!

2010-01-17T21:42:00.002Z

It took longer than it should have done, but finally it has happened.

The jumper is finished!

(although when this photo was taken, the ends weren't totally weaved in. But they are now...)

Its been an absolute labour of love, but you know what? It was totally worth every minute. The Lovely loves it, and that's all that matters. Ok, so it wasn't ready in time for Christmas, but it is ready now. Hurrah!

x

By the way.... the reason it took so long? Look how big the sleeves are in comparison with the rest of the jumper...

Seriously! How are they so massive?!

Number 20

2010-01-10T16:42:00.002Z

On the 1st January I did Number 20

It was three o'clock by the time we made it to the Tor, and it felt as if everyone else in the local area had had the same idea. Still magical when we made it to the top though....

Another year...

2009-12-31T12:00:00.000Z

It seems very hard to believe that it was a year ago (or there abouts) that I wrote this post, and yet, it was. This year I'm not going to do NewYear's Resolutions for a number of reasons.
1) The List
This bad boy is more than enough resolutions for me (not least because I am now more sure than ever that number [read books] won't happen and neither will ~~a few~~ most of the travelling ones)
2) I have lost count of the number of times I have made a list of New Year's Resolutions only to forget a fortnight or so later what the hell it was I actually wrote!

With that in mind, I thought maybe it would be interesting to have a look at those resolutions that I can no longer remember and see if (just for once) I actually stuck to them! So, for your reading pleasure I present

Rhiannon's New Year's Resolutions for 2009 and the aftermath...

So, lifting the list straight off the original post we get the following:
...to finish craft projects that are presents on time (see the wedding sampler, last year's Christmas gift for the lovely...)
Well on the one hand, I did finish gloves for nice housemate (not sure if I showed them to you, but they're up on my ravelry), a scarf for the Lovely's mum and made rather a large amount of chutney and jelly to give away at christmas. On the other hand the BIG project, aka the Boyfriend Sweater is still a work in progress, despite Christmas being a week ago. So, maybe getting there slowly but still a bit of an uphill climb!
...to cook more and make things I haven't before - its no use collecting recipes if you don't use them!
I have one of those recipe binders you can get in Paperchase, and this last year has seen a good half dozen or so things go in to it. I've also got new cookbooks and I think its fair to say that the stuff the Lovely and I cook on a day to day basis is different from what I was making this time last year, so yes, I think this one was a success.
...to be on board with my uni work, especially as in 6 months I'll be getting ready to graduate
I got my desired 2:1 so this one either got pulled off, or I had fantastic luck (but I'd like to think that it was because I got ahead)
...not to make mountains of molehills
Nope, still can't do this one too easily
...to be more creative generally, not just in spurts
Well the knitting is done far more frequently than it was and I made three of the christmas decorations which I liek to think were integral to our overall scheme (wishful thinking?). I think though that if I've learnt anything this year its that creativity is all about the spurts - they're the bits that make you think "hang on a second - what if I did this instead?"
...to give handmade gifts where possible
(See above)
...to arrange social events more often, not wait for other people to do them
Ok, so I probably haven't done as well as I could have with this, but the longer I've been at work the easier it has been to do - this is partly due to getting used to the hours more than anything else! Also, being now a committee member at CBSC (and, more importantly, the committee member in charge of social events) this is one which will happen more and more frequently (she says hoping it won't all turn into a calamity!)
...to conquer the washing up more frequently than previously....
Did I mention that I now have a Lovely who, in exchange for my doing the bulk of the laundry, seems ~~quite happy~~ not too annoyed at doing a little more than his fair share of the washing uP?
...to carry on blogging
Well of all of them, I think that this is the most apparent - if I hadn't I wouldn't be writing this!

All in all, not too shabby a turn out (if I do say so myself). So there might be some of them that need a little work, but I think - as a list of resolutions go - its all come together quite nicely!

How about you? What resolutions have you looked back on and gone "what was I thinking?" or (as seen here) gone "actually, I managed those without remembering I'd made them"

Whatever you do (or do not) resolve to do, have a very happy New Year's Eve and I look forward to sharing 2010 with you all
xxx

Better late than never...

2009-12-28T15:33:00.004Z

So it may now be three days after christmas, but I have got round to putting the homemade mincemeat to some good use

And how did I do that?

Why I made mince pies!

Don't they look oh-so-lovely sitting in their tin...

They were made not just with my mincemeat, but using the Lovely's Mum's luxury pastry recipe and my word is it worth it! They are so buttery and melt in the mouth delicious :)

However, this experience has taught me a few things. Firstly GREASE YOUR TIN. Now whilst I bake a lot, this is not something I do a lot, mainly because cake tends to have so much butter in it that it just isn't necessary.
Not so here....

Luckily I did manage to get a few salvaged out of the tin in (almost) one piece. I like to think of them as my Lucky 7

Thing 2 - do not spend ages standing in front of an open oven door trying to get the tin out of the oven if you are wearing a necklace that is on a metal chain. The chain will heat up and it will burn your neck. It will be painful.

Thing 3 - going to feed the ducks whilst you wait for the pies to cool down is definitely a good thing!

Happy monday
x

Christmas goodness

2009-12-26T20:45:00.000Z

Well the day has come and gone, and considering this was not only our first christmas together (out of the four in which we've been a couple...) but also our first independent christmas it went absolutely fabulously.
The pheasant that I had worked (look at me! I cooked a roast! With potatoes, parsnips, peas, carrots, sprouts AND real gravy for me!), the Lovely had some delicous looking butternut squash, we had a good time watching some fantastic telly and got to open some lovely presents.
Rather than bore you with an endless list of all the little bits I got, I thought I'd show you my four favourite things, in almost no particular order...

A Wood's Navy Rum bar mat
This is my favourite tipple in my parent's local (which incidentally is the only place I have ever seen it for sale!) and my dad on seeing it at the bar managed to acquire it for me. It has since been washed, and, when I can find a frame for it will be placing it over the door in our kitchen :)

A six month book subscription to Persephone books (note the very subtle way in which I have removed all personal details...). I have no idea what I'll be getting so this is a very good present indeed as each month will be a surprise!

Ok, so now its the top 2. From Nice Housemate I have one of the nicest things that has ever been made for me;

A sign for my kitchen! I fell in love with this the minute I opened it - the attention to detail is fantastic (seriously, each letter is way more intricate than I could ever manage) and the fact that she made it just for me makes it even more fantastic. This will be in every house I ever live in.

And then the other top present came from the Lovely

Isn't it pretty :) When the camera is better I'll take another picture, but basically its got two flowers layered on top of each other with a bit of a gap between the layers and a rainbow opal in the centre that winks provactively at me each time it catches the light. I adore it - so much so that it has permanently replaced the flower ring that I used to wear on that finger. The Lovely has definitely pulled it out of the bag with this one (not least because he knew my ring size to ask for the right one in the shop!)

And how about all of you? Did you recieve lots of goodness this year? And what was the best gift you recieved (including gifts that aren't necessarily material)
Happy festivites to all and happy new year if I don't post before
x

ps. no, the jumper wasn't finished in time.....
pps. please ignore the rubbish pictures - my camera is currently wounded in action so I've had to revert back to the bloody useless pile of s**t that I used to use

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2009-12-24T22:32:00.002Z

.....everywhere we go....

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night
x

Lax lady...

2009-12-13T20:55:00.002Z

I'm rubbish. Officially. Try as I could, I've failed miserably at this whole posting malarky over the last few weeks (although I feel I should point out that I've felt busier than I probably have been!)
And as for the 7 loves.... well as has already been stated, I'm rubbish! Maybe at some time or another I will actually manage to do it, but for now you'll have to make do with the list I made for the last post!

But we shouldn't be looking backwards, instead we should look forwards! So what *have* I been doing recently? (ok, not forwards as such, more sort-of-sideways)

Well, I've been.....

* wandering around Birmingham after dark

* looking at flowers bought for me by the Lovely

(yes, that is the silver canteen in the background)

* taking pictures I'm really rather proud of whilst wondering through the countryside near the Lovely's parent's house (which is where we've been all weekend)

* and preparing the house for christmas (and the arrival of the chirstmas tree tomorrow!) by putting up cards...

...giving Henry a seasonal tinsel collar...

...and making my very own advent claendar for the Lovely

This coming week will also be rather hectic; tomorrow we get our very first tree (I'm such a sap...), tuesday I'm going to see Where the Wild Things are with nice housemate (so excited its almost not true), wednesday I'll be taking part in the christmas quiz at work whilst munching on some brownies I'm making for the occassion, and on friday I'm heading down to the parents (sadly sans lovely) so as to get on a plane at stupid o'clock on saturday morning and head to Dublin for a rather exciting weekend with some of the girls I was at school with (some news after the date, but, what goes on holiday stays on holiday :P). So the chances of my being lax in posting are again useless, but it'll all come together in the end.....

Hope you're all well (it certainly seems that way from all of your posts...)
x

7 loves....

2009-12-08T22:49:00.002Z

As a sneak peek at what I may (or may not) be talking about when I do this properly, follow this link to have a look at the list I originally wrote when I was thinking about the things I love (there's a lot more than 7....)

Come back later in the week to see what I've whittled it down to (thanks to the joy of random number generator!)

x

ps. No I didn't forget the Lovely; he's a given on my 7 loves

Winner!

2009-12-08T18:48:00.001Z

So we have a winner!
Dumroll please....

Number 6 - Skirmish of Wit!

Congratulations :)

Drop me an email (princessmug[at]googlemail[dot]com) with your address and I'll sort out your prize soon!

x

ps. Yup, I've been rubbish at posting this last week but I will be back on track soon, not least because I've been tagged to tell you all about my 7 Loves. More soon...

It's my birthday!

2009-11-30T12:00:00.000Z

Hello!

Today is my offical blog birthday. To think it was a whole year ago that I wrote this post. So much has happened since then, both big stuff (like graduating, moving in with the Lovely, and going to America) and small accomplishments (my first pair of gloves, slowly crossing items off the list) and its been lovely that you've been there all the way.

So to celebrate I am doing a giveaway!

There will be a few small bits and pieces (yet to be decided) but the main present will be....

....drumroll please......

Your Very Own Princess Mug!
Yes, you too can tell people to keep their mitts off of the princess mug and feel happy in the knowledge it is yours. In case you don't know quite what the mug in question looks like, behold an image, taken from the website who make the mug...

To be in with a chance of winning, simply leave a comment on this post, before midnight on monday 7th december (if you want to say something uber nice about the blog, that would be appreciated, but its not compulsory!)
Good luck and make sure you pick up a piece of cake on your way out!
xxx

(yet more) Christmas Cooking

2009-11-29T19:27:00.003Z

Christmas cooking has been happening on quite a big scale this year, and yesterday saw my very first attempt at making mincemeat. Its too my own special secret recipe, but I will share some things with you....
To make my special secret mincemeat, you will need all these things, but not necessarily in these quantities....

Lots of bowls are a must

When pouring out the port, make sure you pour a taster for yourself (put it down to quality to control)

During cooking, it both looks and smells fantastic

Put labels on the jars when its sorted, otherwise you would have all of these and no clue which is which....

(well I did admit to a lot of christmas cooking)

And look - cute labels with pictures and everything

Hope you had a lovely weekend. Aside from cooking, mine has included rehearsals for Haydn's Creation (thursday, Symphony Hall if you're in the area), dinner at lovely Lanterloos, seeing my parents for a brief coffee (they'd been in Cumbria for the weekend), and as a result of that, I now have the cutlery canteen given to my grandparents when they got married. This is possibly the nicest thing I have ever recieved, and once its been cleaned up, I shall of course share pictures!

Come back tomorrow for something really rather exciting.....
xxx

Christmas Cooking

2009-11-27T12:00:00.003Z

At the moment it seems as though the whole blogsphere is gearing up for christmas. And you know what? That aint no bad thing in my book.

This year is the first that the Lovely and I get to spend together, and as such I have been both insanely excited and somewhat freaking out about the whole thing for months. A couple of weeks ago I made christmas chutney (hurrah! edible gifts) and over the weekend just gone I made another recipe from my christmas bible - Chilli Jam.

mmmm.... bubbly

and then, after much longer than it should have been, KerJam!

For some reason it doesn't have the lovely see-through-ness of the picture in the book, but then I realise what it was they did, and, in my own crude way, I managed to get it looking all jewel-y and nice. I held it up to the strip light in our kitchen...

Things that you can't tell from the pictures:
The first boiling wasn't long enough so I had to wack it on for another five minutes
This meant I didn't have time to jar it up before we went out for a curry with some friends
It was too solid when we got home to be jarred
It had to be remelted and jarred this morning
I'm fairly certain it was too warm when it went into the jars, but having not done this before I have no idea as to what is "right"
And most importantly : it full on knocks your socks off! Much stronger than our normal chilli chutney, but the Lovely has been quoted as saying that "it is a whole different kettle of ball game", mainly due to the fact this is not the kind of thing you can eat straight off the spoon (not that either of us have, I hasten to add [although marmite and me is a different matter....]).

I suspect I will probably be making lots of this in the future, not least because it works out cheaper to make masses of your own, but mainly because it is good. Hurrah for Christmas Cooking!

x

Funny man

2009-11-25T12:00:00.000Z

Eddie Izzard = very funny
Proof:

(rubbish quality, but it is youtube, so what else can you expect?)

More proof:
Q: What is the name of the book Darwin wrote on the theory of evolution?
A: Monkey monkey monkey monkey YOU!

Yeah, jokes don't work when written down. However, Eddie Izzard was very funny, and if you're lucky enough to have a ticket for his current tour you're in for sore sides the next morning.
If not, it'll be out on dvd soon enough, and in the meantime BEHOLD!

The Death Star Canteen sketch, recreated in Lego....

x

Taking Time at BMAG

2009-11-23T12:00:00.005Z

Last tuesday, along with two of the lovely ladies I work with, I ran away from work.
I'll admit I didn't run very far, and I did go back for the afternoon, but the running was still worth it.

And the reason for running away?

Taking Time, an exhibition on the slow craft movement which is currently in the Waterhall at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (or BMAG to us cool kids in the know...). I posted about this exhibition back at the end of October, when I took part in the giant wool installation, but didn't get to see much else of what was going on. Well my word, there is a lot going on. I'm sure the exhibition was far smaller when I went before (certainly the wool was), but it was fantastic. I foolishly forgot my camera, so I'll have to paint a word picture for you [although I've just found the flikr page of the organisers : http://www.flickr.com/photos/craftspace/ take a look for some (not always enlightening) images]

One of my favourite exhibitions was a selection of hand printed rolls of wallpaper, that were the result of a collaboration between the National Trust, a community project in Birmingham and a local screen printer. The rolls were very pretty to look at, but it was the scrapbook that was presented alongside the paper that made the exhibit. It had pictures from the workshops, images that had been used by the group as a means of inspiration and some of the earlier bits of printing that they had created. The three of us stood at this book for at least 15 minutes, if not more, with not one of us wanting to go back to the office for the afternoon (but we did....)

Another fantastic exhibit was a collection of teacups and saucers (did you expect me not to like those?!) which had been created through a collaboration of an artist here in the UK and an artist in the Netherlands. Through conversations and discussions they created some beautiful pieces, like tree in an ornamental garden. Here, there was an image of a tree on the cup and then the (oversized) saucer was designed to look like an ornamental garden when seen from above. There was a series of four of these, as well as a group of more conventional sized cups and saucers, each created in pairs; one with the design on the outside of the cup and on with the same pattern on the inside. The whole thing was done in porcelain and blue glaze, with the overall result making me think of someone who'd discovered all their grandmothers crockery and was revelling in its fantasticness.

The exhibit which got the biggest "anyone could do that" was a giant stone image, made from thousands of teeny pebbles, each selected by the artist due to its perfect size (you can see a closeup on the flikr - its the picture titled "Sue Lawtry" who was the artist in question). Yet equally, the longer you looked at it, the more you realised that it was very much a labour of love that must have taken rather a long time indeed. [It also messed severely with the eyes as there were squares of smaller pebbles overlapping and built into larger squares which made focusing confusing]

I feel like I'm barely scratching the surface of this exhibition, yet I'm also aware that I have probably bombarded you with enough details for now. If you want to find out more, go to the exhibition! Its fantastic, and you can get to Birmingham very easily by rail from most major cities in the UK. Plus, whilst you're here and you can go see the rest of BMAG and the Ikon Gallery and Cadbury World and lots of other niceties. Have I convinced you to go the the exhibition now? Good. You have til the 4th January, so put bum in gear and come visit!

x

Why is every day so busy?

2009-11-22T19:23:00.003Z

Last weekend, I genuinely though that I would be able to manage at least one mid week post.
The reality is its taken me until late sunday night to have a chance to do anything.
Now this is something which at one and the same time frustrates me and leaves me not too worried. Whilst I am very fond of the mantra "post for you not a schedule", I still feel some of the time like I just don't post enough, especially as there is so much I want to share.
My answer?
I'm going to start putting up scheduled posts. This won't affect me posting sporadically, nor will it mean that comments on scheduled posts won't get read and replied to with the frequency (or possible lack of frequency) you've come to expect, it just means that my own peculiar brand of craziness will be brought to you in glorious html more frequently!

This last week has given me lots of exciting things, so over this week, you can look forward to;
A gushing post enthusing about the joy of going to museums in my lunch hour
A post in which I declare that Eddie Izzard is a complete genius and then fail miserably to describe the jokes
A show and tell of christmas food
and maybe (if that doesn't exhaust both of us) a general ramble on life in general....

So have a fantastic rest of your weekend, enjoy the fact that there is New Top Gear on tonight (yes, they are ludicrous, no it doesn't mean I like it any less) and be prepared for some rather random posts....

xxx
ps. One year next monday... ideas are buzzing....

Return of the Giant Hogweed

2009-11-16T20:50:00.004Z

First off, a quick thank you to FancyElastic for hosting kitchen poetry last week. It was great to post every day - I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed doing it. As a result, my mental blogging report has a *must try harder to sustain her effort* against the posting section!
(although it probably won't happen this week as I'm out at a friend's tomorrow, seeing Eddie Izzard on wednesday and am bound to end up with other stuff cropping up before the weekend...)

This weekend the lovely and I went to London, and more specifically to Kew Botanical Gardens. Yes, it was rainy in parts, and windy in lots, but it was a really lovely afternoon, particuarly as a lot of people seemed to be staying away because of the weather. So behold.... Kew in November....

and finally....
The Lovely on arrival, celebrating that the rain has stopped

Me, very content after dinner

xxx
ps. Extra brownie points to anyone who gets the post title reference WITHOUT using google...

Kitchen Poetry : Friday

2009-11-13T20:40:00.004Z

While the Lovely's away
The girl shall play...

As you may or may not know, the Lovely is a vegetarian, but even before he stopped eating meat, tuna was his most hated of fish. It is one of my favourites. As such it is only indulged in on nights when he is not around, and as tonight is one such night I get the joys of fish pie (though no prawns - they had freezer burn), eating tuna straight from the can, listening to cds all night, maybe watching Amelie and then only switching the telly on for Newsnight Review. Happy nights :)

Kitchen Poetry : Thursday

2009-11-12T20:41:00.001Z

Furious whisking of white sauce
Gentle bubbling of red sauce
An hour at the most later
Dinner.
Lasagne.
Delicious.

Kitchen Poetry : Wednesday

2009-11-11T09:00:00.000Z

Dinner last night.
The glow from the oven
makes everything seem that bit more comforting
than it already was

Kitchen Poetry : Tuesday

2009-11-10T07:40:00.002Z

Morning rituals
They're important
(Although not set in stone;
as a result of taking these pictures
the smell of coffee permeated through the kitchen
and I changed my mind about what to drink)

Kitchen Poetry : Monday

2009-11-09T19:32:00.002Z

I love this image
Not because although we do lots of washing up
there always seems to be one thing left on the side
and so this is a brief respite before the next onslaught,
but because the Lovely did it :)

Lovely weekend :)

2009-11-08T16:16:00.003Z

This weekend has be thorough lovely (as the title so aptly suggests)
Yesterday I went to the NEC with my mum to go to the Hobbycraft and Christmas Craft fairs. The size of the place was phenomenal, although more impressive was the sheer number of people in the one hall! A lot (if not the vast majority) of the stalls were geared towards card making and scrap booking, but I was able to pick up some goodies of my own...

The sparkly stuff is to make a scarf for someone for christmas, and whilst it doesn't look like much now, if it comes up like the example did it will be gorgeous. As for the Sublime pattern, there is an interesting story there.... About a year and a half ago now, I went to hobbycraft in Coventry with the lovely housemate and saw this pattern, but couldn't find the matching yarn so left it. Yesterday I not only saw the pattern reduced to £1, but got both balls of Sublime kid mohair for £4! The major debate though is whether that was bargain of the day or the knitted gifts book was - only £5 and there are a lot of things in it I want to knit making it the cheapest patterns ever!
When we got back from the exhibition the pair of us were knackered, and so decided to stop in at Cafe Rouge for a bottle of wine en route. I'd never been in one of these before (they aren't great for veggies so its always been ruled out when with the Lovely), but it was really nice. I know its a huge chain and they are all the same, but it did remind me a lot of places I'd actually been to in France, so one up for the decorators there!

Another wonderful thing about mum coming to visit is that she was able to bring a number of things with her. There was the housewarming gift from grandma

which is fantastic as we eat far more pasta than is normal, the utterly-amazing-how-did-she-know birthday present from my aunt

(seriously so excited about this, looking forward to eating all the yummy bits in it already), and then presents from my mum; a pair of jade bracelets (which were lovely) and then something I thought I would never, ever, get....

A Chanel Handbag! I should probably explain straight away that is a blatant fake HOWEVER I have wanted one for so so so long that a fake is fantastic! Especially because you can't normally find this style in the ...less desirable markets. The story of the lengths they went to get it is amazing, and, if it weren't for the lovely's complaints I would have totally ended up cuddling this in bed last night! [Yes, I admit its a woeful reaction to have, but c'mon! Its (almost) a Chanel!]

Tonight the lovely and I are going to see Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra at Symphony Hall. I've heard it on the radio a couple of times, but that makes me none the less excited about seeing it in the flesh.

Before I go, this week I'm joining in with Fancy Elastic's Kitchen Poetry week. Why not join in too? I can't promise my poetry will be particuarly inspired, but it will be mine!
Happy weekend
xxx

100!

2009-11-03T22:43:00.002Z

Whoop!

I'd like to say the fireworks were intentional, but they are ACTUALLY what we got up to after we ate dinner on sunday (which was fantastic)

I just want to thank everyone who has been reading/commenting/paying attention from afar to this blog over the last 100 posts. I set this blog up almost on a whim, and never imagined it would last this long, so thank you for all your support and kind words. The big celebration - including a giveaway! - will take place on my blog birthday, but for now, enjoy the fireworks, kick back, and drink a mug of tea from any mug you like (just don't touch the princess mug....)

xxx

pinch punch....

2009-11-01T14:18:00.002Z

...first of the month!

I feel I should probably start with an apology as it turns out that my last post was NOT my 100th... the one after this is... *feels rather sheepish*. I had two draft posts I'd forgotten about which it seemed were deluding me. Yes, I was served a slice of humble pie, cooked in the oven of shame at gas mark egg-on-your-face.

Moving swiftly on, look at what I got involved in on my lunch break on friday....

Its as part of an exhibition on at BMAG at the moment called "Taking Time: Craft and the Slow Revolution". I only found out about it earlier this week, but new as soon as I saw it that I wanted to have a go, and given that it was a drop in session I popped in on my lunch break. My contribution is this

It began as a little bit of knitting made on its own, which I then thought I'd knit into the overall sculpture (the blue) before bringing in the yellow and tying it off elsewhere. For a sense of scale, that little square is directly above the giant pompom in this picture

which is the one hanging to the far left of the first picture. Ok, so its utterly tiny, but I was only there for half an hour....
Whilst I didn't get a chance to look at the rest of the exhibition, I'm still chalking this up as October's visit, as I figure being a part of the art is probably even better than seeing it! I had been hoping to go with some of the girls at work, but they were all busy, however, we have agreed to go one day next week and take a PROPER look.

Last night, we got our first chance to use the Lovely's present from his sister, a huge paella pan.

It thoroughly deserved the thumbs up the Lovely is giving it as it tasted absolutely fantastic.

This afternoon I'm going over to Lanterloo's for roast dinner, which is very exciting, and then on monday I get to see nice housemate, which is also exciting.
Hope you have good weeks planned ahead of you - ours is going to be the start of something new as the Lovely starts work tomorrow....
Keep well
xxx

News flash!

2009-10-28T22:44:00.004Z

I'm a guest blogger! Alli of onepearlbutton had a call to her readers to provide a guest post, and I was one of the brave few who not only volunteered but was lucky enough to get posted.
Go have a look, not because I'm there, but because Alli is lovely and has some of the nicest posts around

Happy wednesday
xxx

ps. I only realised as I was in the middle of this that this is my 100th post. I feel I should have a party or something, but maybe I should save that for the one year anniversary at the end of november - what do you think? x
Edit: See above, but basically this wasn't my 100th this was. Yes I was embarrassed by the whole thing. No, I wasn't surprised I did it!

Busy Weekend

2009-10-25T19:27:00.004Z

This weekend has seen not one, but two items on The List achieved. First up we have number 8, brought about by the finishing of the second fetching glove

I'd like to say I took the picture myself, but I actually had to depend on my ever trusty assistant for photography. I found the pattern surprisingly straightforward. Making the cables was a doddle, and made me feel like I was actually quite good at knitting after all! I admit that some may think its a bit of a cheek to make armwarmery things and call it gloves, but hey, its my list and I reckon it works! Besides, the ease with which they went together has made me think about making some mittens next (although that will be after I've made a hat in the leftover yarn to match the gloves).

Obviously there is still the jumper on the needles, and that is going at an alright rate. I sometimes worry that I've not made quite as much progress as I should, but with the nights drawing in, I think that the knitting will become more and more appealing! And look... I made it to the armholes!

As to the other item on the list that has been achieved this weekend, its number four....

Ok, so I made chutney not jam, but as it says in Nigella Christmas, "chutney is jam-making for people without the patience!" (or something along those lines...). These jars are the first of the christmas gift cooking this year, and should be ready bang on the big day. The recipe is from the aforementioned book, and is aptly named Christmas Chutney. I'm hoping that it will be delicious once its matured for a bit, though I will admit that the trusty assistant had to come to my aid once more as I spent most of this afternoon feeling a little bit dodgy of tummy (probably not helped by the amount of vinegar in the chutney!).

The recipe book also came into force last night as we had a friend round to dinner so decided to make the pumpkin and goats cheese lasagne, which I would heartily recommend. Although the pumpkin did seem a bit flavourless on its own, when combined with everything else it was rather lovely indeed.

This week is the Lovely's last of freedom before he starts work next week, so sadly that also means its the last week of gourmet cooking before we have to knuckle down and make up meal plans... Never mind, at least now the nights are drawing in everything will be comforting and good (hopefully!)

Hope you've all had a good week and (like me) took advantage of the clocks going back this morning by spending an extra hour in bed!
x

Very fetching....

2009-10-18T19:14:00.003+01:00

Oooooooo

Very fetching!

Ok, so its only half of number 8, but its a whole one done! Yay! I'd been thinking of making these for a while, and was convinced to make them by Alli, who has also recently made a pair. I'll admit the point of making these was to have something to knit on the train as its small enough to fit in the handbag, but I got too excited and ended up making a whole one in a few hours last night! On the plus side, having seen how easily it went together, I've got a project I can make as a crimbo pressie (that dreaded phrase yet planning ahead is a must!) for someone.

Speaking of making things, look what else has come about this weekend....

My potato bag! Its been a while in the planning as we keep our veggies in a box that is clear and its been playing billy-oh with the potatoes. It was very quick to make, but it was the sitting down to do it that was the hard part!

I've also been baking this weekend, making a bastardised version of this dessert which I saw on telly this morning. I took out the limoncello and lemon zest, and swapped the cherry jam for blackcurrant, and look how pretty it is!

I'm a bit scared to take it out of the tin as the jam seems wobbly, however it has to come out sooner or later as I have the lovely Lanterloo round for dinner this evening (the Lovely has gone to visit the Wobble Pit) and I was planning on serving this up with some marscapone for dessert. Yum yum yum.

Even though this week has been absolutely manic (seriously - friday was the only day this week that I was home before 10 and on thursday it was nearly midnight before I was home), I have managed to get some of the Lovely's jumper done, and am nearly at the armholes

I love how this jumper is coming together, and thankfully the Lovely does too! Part of me is worried that it might not end up coming together in time, but I'm hoping that now that choir is going on the backburner for a couple of weeks and I have my evenings back to myself it'll fly off the needles!

Hope you've all had a great weekend, and have a lovely autumnal week ahead of you
x
ps. I leave you with this print which went up on our wall last week. Very much a motto for life I feel!

Nosey Nelly

2009-10-10T13:41:00.002+01:00

For quite some time now, I have been noticing a trend amongst blogs which very much appeals to my inner Nosey Nelly. This trend? Displaying the contents of either your own or other people's handbag.

Now whilst I am not one to jump manically on to the bandwagon, this does hold a certain appeal for me, not least because it's an excuse to empty out the contents of my own bag and give it a good sort! So, without further ado, I present to you the contents of my handbag...(or at least the contents as they were on thursday night)....

The bag itself is my eternally loved Mulberry Bayswater, bought on my 21st. Not only is this bag immensely practical for carrying all my ~~crap~~ useful things, it is also large enough that, when necessary, I can fit an entire bottle of wine in it! As for the rest, well there is

A copy of the book I am currently reading (indespensable for train journeys to work)
My umbrella
My lovely new spotty purse
My trusty filofax
Tin for lady-things
Fold up shopping bag
Purse which holds things like plasters, lip balm, a different variety of lady things and painkillers
My Alice notebook
My phone
Random hairgrips
A stray plaster
MP3 player, complete with its own travel sock
tictacs, bought all the way back from America (yes, I know we have them here but that's besides the point)
Green button bracelet bought by my mum for me for my birthday
Hand cream
Assorted change (about £2.53) (ironically, just that afternoon I spent fifteen minutes rooting around my handbag trying to find enough money to make a pound coin so I could have a trolly at the supermarket, and I then found out there had been two in there the entire time!)
Lots of pens
My favourite lipstick - it doesn't get worn a lot but its a useful place to have it
Hello Kitty Mirror, which was a present from the girl who, at 18, was my best friend
My pearl necklace (and yes, the box its in is designed to hold contact lens pots)
Spare memory card for my camera
Spare battery for my camera
Pair of scissors (I also carried a tape measure and knitting for quite a while, but the jumper has now gotten too big to be practically carried in this bag)
House keys (complete with teapot keyring from A Thrifty Mrs)
Sunglasses (I know its autumn, but I just can't let go, and besides, what if its one of those insanely bright october mornings?)
And this much paper, made up of assorted receipts, train trickets and hastily scribbled notes

I should probably point out that my camera is also normally in there, but it was needed to take the picture. Also, following this, numbers 14 and 20 got taken out of the bag and put back in my jewellery box, and there was no way on EARTH number 26 was getting anywhere near my bag again!

How about you? Do you have some/none/any of the same things in your bag? Are you brave enough to display them to all the world (well, web)?
If so, I throw down the gauntlet to you, and say "do it!". That and please let me know if you do so that my inner Nosey Nelly can be appeased once more

Have a lovely weekend
x

Lovely things

2009-10-04T14:00:00.002+01:00

I started this post yesterday but ran out of time before we went out to dinner, so I'm just going to pick up where I left off!

This week has very much been a week filled with lovely things. Take wednesday for example. I had some time to while between work and choir, so thought the most sensible thing for me to do would be to go to Waterstones.
Turns out I spent nearly an hour in there....
HOWEVER it was all for a very good reason (because when are books NOT a very good reason?) and I came away with four rather delightful books....

and last but not least

I started PPZ on the train on the way to work yesterday and it is so cleverly done. In case you haven't come accros it yet, Seth Grahame-Smith has taken Austen's original text and bent it ever so slightly to create a new narrative. The effect is brilliant, especially if (like me) you've read the original quite a few times. I found myself genuinely laughing out loud at some of the clever inserts which change the novel completely. What's also good is that for the most part SGS has used language similar to Austens for his interjections, which means that (for the most part) they are fairly seamless. I would thoroughly recommend it, just for the surreal situtation that is reading about the first ball that's held in the novel, and seeing the words "Girls! Pentagram of Death" placed in the text as if it had always been there!

Then today I had some rather lovely post indeed. Dottycookie is one of the nicest bloggy people I know, and one of the first people who ever commented on my blog [speaking of, its nearly a year old, but more of that another time], and look what she sent me for my birthday!

This adorable bracelet was waiting on the front door mat when we got back from a wander round Kings Heath this morning and I love it! I'm wearing it at the moment and I love the way the colours all play together. Nice nice nice.

We've got the Lovely's parents up this weekend, celebrating his birthday a week earlier, and they also brought loveliness with them - my presents from his sister. There was this keyring

and this gorgeous tealight holder

Bizarrely I'd coveted this a while ago and then forgotten it, so unwrapping it was very exciting!

Now we timejump forward to today, and the exciting events which I was planning for last night have now happened. We went out for an indian with the Lovely's parents, going to a restaurant called Itihaas. I'd not been before, but the Lovely had seen some good reviews of it online (although personally their actual website irritates the pants off me!) so we thought we'd give it a go. I'm so glad we did because the food was amazing. I had lamb meatballs in a spicy sauce which was delicious, although I will admit that it was right on my threshold of spice and if it had been any more intense I may have had to go hungry! The desserts also looked delicious, but by the time for those came round I was so full of curry I couldn't even think of ordering one. Also excitingl, they served Proper Indian Tea (which I think totally deserves capital letters!). This is basically tea that is brewed with cardamon in it and quite a bit more milk than normal which makes it all creamy and delicious. The Lovely ordered some out of sheer curiosity and I'm glad he did as it meant I got a sip too. Yay!

Today has been quite lazy so far, as (with the exception of the laundry which is currently in the machine) all the tidying up that we normally do on a sunday got done yesterday in anticipation of the Lovely's parents' arrival . I'm currently trying to decide whether I want to sew something from my new book, sew a potato bag (which is basically just going to be a drawstring bag!), read a book, make some soup (probably pea flavoured) or carry on with the jumper. Speaking of which, look how far I had got on the jumper by yesterday afternoon, bearing in mind that most nights this week I haven't had a chance to do any...

Five and a half inches! That means I only have three-ish inches to go before I change colour. This is both an exciting and incredibly daunting thought....

It will probably be a bit quiet around here for the next couple of days, as we've got Nice Housemate coming round for dinner tomorrow night, tuesday and wednesday I'm busy with choir and the likes, thursday will be prepping for friday which is the Lovely's birthday, so we'll be out, saturday is the CBSC ball, sunday is another choir rehearsal, as is monday and tuesday and then there is a concert on both wednesday and thursday! Phew! If I manage to post just once in amongst all that I'll be impressed!

However, until then I hope you all keep well and happy and have lots of loveliness come your way
xxx

Guess how much I love you

2009-09-27T21:00:00.000+01:00

As well as being the name of one of my favourite children's books, the title of this post is a phrased constantly bandied about between the lovely and myself. The answer is normally to put hands back to back and say it goes all the way around (as can be seen in the wonderful graphic representation below)

This weekend threre has been a lot of "love you's", as yesterday the Lovely and I celebrated spending three years together. Now a minor tradition (in that its only happened twice so far but is bound to continue for a long time) is for me to make a Boston Cream Pie for the Lovely on occasions which are special for him (ie. as much as he begs I am NOT making a BCP for my birthday!). Part of the reason that BCP is reserved for special occasions only is that it involves the making of crème pâtissière which is the most irritating thing I ever make. It has caused tears in the past. And I'm not lying. But it is a very special occassion this weekend and so here it is....

This years BCP.

As well as BCP, there has been some work on number 1 this weekend. We have bought the yarn

(mm, neat stacking)

although I'll have to go back next weekend to get two more of the green. I unfortunately confused the A and B colours whilst shopping and so bought two more brown than necessary. Its ok though, as I'll just use them to make a scarf for the Lovely when the jumper is done. And look!

I even did a swatch gauge! This has to be done by Christmas, and so I thought it best to make a gauge as I would hate hate hate to get to Christmas and be in the process of starting again as I'd made it the wrong size....

But its not all loveliness in one direction. The Lovely cooked the most delicious dinner, which was very pleasant received. Not only this, but the Lovely has got very good at cooking during his period of unemploment [did I mention he had a job offer :D] - so much so that not once, but TWICE in the last fortnight we have had homemade pizza.

Mmm... doughy....

Tonight I'm in on my own, and have no idea what I'll eat - though I'm tempted to crack open a tin of tuna, mix it with some sweetcorn and mayo and eat it as it is!
Hope you're all well
xxx
ps. "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Can anyone guess which film I watched this afternoon and have fallen in love with?

OMG

2009-09-17T21:22:00.002+01:00

I forgot to mention that my prom was on telly last friday!
If you want to catch it, you can still see it on iPlayer, and if you don;t fancy sitting through the whole 2 hour concert, the part of the fourth movement where the choir stands up and gets ready to sing is at exactly 1:40
Me and Lanterloo didn't really think we'd get filmed at all, and weren't actually that bothered about it either, but look!

Fame at last :D
(Please ignore the pained expression - I was trying to catch myself midsyllable with mouth closed to avoid the flycatching expression so frequently photographed whilst I sing, and here I'm somewhere in "Freude, schoener Goetterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium, Wir betreten feuertrunken, Himmlische dein Heiligtum")
Happy weekend
x

Matron! Hand me the tonic.

2009-09-17T21:15:00.001+01:00

At the moment it seems that all of blogland has aches, pains, sniffles and snuffles of some kind, and it would appear that I am no exception. Currently I am sitting in the living room, wearing all my clothes from work, plus pjs and my blankie round my shoulders, feeling a teensy sorry for myself as I sniff my nose and soothe my aching throat with tonic (ok, wine but I'm sure it has the same effect...). So bloggers my sympathy is with all of you, as I know the snuffles you are suffering (and the back ache at that - guess who's back went [again] in the middle of London...)

On a far more positive note, yesterday was my holiday. Quite literally a single day holiday, which came along as a result of the lovely having an interview in London on tuesday and they saying he'd spring for the hotel if I took the day off on wednesday. And who was I to disagree?!
Tuesday evening, amongst what LondonLite (yes, I am that classy) termed "a month's rain in an evening" we near enough ran from our hotel at Gloucester Road to South Kensington for dinner at Carluccios (no, we don't need to get the tube, its close enough to walk). I was so, so stuffed by the time we were finished, I couldn't even manage a pud. Shocking.

Then on wednesday was the thing I had been looking forward to since the Lovely said "lets go to London" - our visit to the V&A :D One of the first things we did was go to see the Telling Tales exhibition, which was a major incentive for my ~~asking~~ demanding to go to the V&A. We also had a look round a couple of the different galleries. My favourite may well have been the jewellery gallery, which was just a huge glittering wonderment of sparkleyness. Unsurprisingly its probably also the most heavily cctv'd part of the museum!
Our afternoon (which was not heavily rainy) was spent wondering around the rather pretty borough of Kensington, without any real sense of where we were going. Whilst this is definately my favourite way of getting around a city, the Lovely seemed a little bit less enchanted by the town houses, although to be fair he was in desperate need of a drink!
We got the train back in the rush hour, but were lucky enough to be able to find two seats together, which meant I could snuggle down and daydream as we zipped through the countryside to our own little part of the world.

The only problem I've found with taking a holiday mid-week is that today I'm even more tired than I would normally be! Whether this is contributing to my lurgee, who knows, but I'd do it all again!

This weekend the boys are moving back into the Wobble Pit, which means I'm about to becoming a Pit-Widow as the Lovely gets back into seeing his boys all over again!

Hope you are all as well as the season permits - and if not, get some vitamin C down you!
Enjoy friday (yay! leaving work at half four!)
x

ps. did I mention I'm really really rubbish at taking photos on holiday? :P

slipping a little....

2009-09-15T12:42:00.003+01:00

I'm not going to lie, what with working 9-5 these days, I've been getting somewhat lax in my posting. For this I can only apologise, and say that whilst I will try to continue posting frequently, unfortunately outside stuff will probably keep getting in the way.....

So what outside stuff has been happening recently?
Well, on saturday me and the Lovely went on the most uber boot-hunting trip ever. Not (as you might suspect) a trip in which weapons were brandished and horses were ridden. No, this was a trip involving an awful lot of train rides.
To begin a little more at the beginning, for my birthday, my parents gave me money that was expressly supposed to be spent on a new pair of winter boots. This is a challenge I am faced with every year, and I swear that every year is as difficult as the previous. On tuesday I went shopping after work and although I tried on multiple pairs, none were succesful. "That's ok" I thought "we can go to Bicester on saturday and there will be lots of places for me to buy boots". I've not been to Bicester before, and I apologise to anyone who goes there and has a successful shopping experience, but frankly it was c**p, and not even the Cath Kidston shop provided me with happiness. Maybe it was just a bad weekend stock wise, but I'm definately more of a fan of Clarks village (and I acknowledge I may have gone into Bicester with a biased hat on). So we left there and got the train to Solihull where once more I went into every shoe shop and stared at shoes (how the Lovely coped I'll never know, that boy must have the patience of a saint!). Luckily we did not leave empty-handed and I now have a beautiful pair of boots (bought in M&S!)(pictures to follow - I'm writing this in my lunch break so there is no way I can get pictures in this)

Tomorrow, as a result of the Lovely's being in London today for a big scary interview, I've taken a holiday and we're having the miniest of mini-breaks. The plan is to start Number 3 by going to the V&A so hopefully I'll be able to tell you all about it.

Now I'm sure there was more to say, but the weeks all seem to be slipping together in my head....
Hope you're having a great week and aren't slipping around quite as much as me!
xxx
ps. Was great to see that so many people are intrigued by/inspired by my last post. For MY inspiration, go to http://hulaseventy.blogspot.com for the original versions
x

22 before 23

2009-09-07T23:30:00.004+01:00

So here they are....
By the way, see the stuff in red? That's been added after I made this post, and is so I can update you on when I've done stuff, and (if there is another post about it) link you to it!
1. Knit a jumper for the Lovely Boy
Finished 17/01/2010 - not quite the Christmas deadline, but closer than it could have been! Read here
2. Learn to crotchet
3. Try to get to a museum or art gallery every month, including

September - the V&A, and we went when the Telling Tales exhibition was on. Read here
October - took part in creating an installation for Taking Time: Craft and the Slow Revolution.
Read here
November - (if it counts) I went to Kew Gardens. Read here (if it doesn't count) I went back to have a closer look at Taking Time. Read here
December - yeah, I didn't manage it...
4. Make jam
Made Christmas Chutney. Read Here
Made Chilli Jam. Read Here
Made my own mincemeat. Read Here
5. Go for a walk in the Lickey Hills
6. Master the art of piping icing
7. Read Ulysses
8. Knit gloves and/or mittens
Made arm warmers. Read here and here
Made gloves for Nice Housemate (Forgot to post about it though!)
9. Learn to play a song on the guitar without looking or going wrong
10. Make a fabric pinboard for the craft room
11. Sew a skirt
12. Go to the cinema when there are films I want to see, especially

Up - 09/10/2009
Where the Wild Things Are - 15/12/2009
Sherlock Holmes - 10/01/2010
13. Cook a roast dinner
Christmas dinner 2009. Read here
14. Watch the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice
15. Go to Lichfield
16. Read more graphic novels
17. Go to Edinburgh and climb up to the castle
18. Go to York
19. Embroider more
20. Climb Glastonbury Tor
1st January 2010 and a great way to start the year. Read here.
21. Go to Brighton
22. Read all my unread books

A lot of these are things which I might do anyway, but I think that by having a list there might be more chance of me actually doing the stuff I want to do! I should mention that these aren't resolutions, they're just things I'd quite like to have a go at (although I acknowledge that some [especially 7] may not happen)
How about you, what would you like to do in the next year? Is there anything you'd like to do which isn't strictly a resolution but is a thing? (and no, I can't phrase that more eloquently!)

x

Reasons to be cheerful....

2009-09-06T11:02:00.004+01:00

There has been a lot of happy stuff recently....

Homemade basil gnocchi with a tomato and chilli sauce (I live with a culinary genius!)

Three punnets of blackberries for the amazing price of 40p (3 for 2 apparently still applied!). Currently two of them have been turned into pie filling with some bramley apples - just need to make the pie crust now...

The wonderful parcel of loveliness that I got from the lovely Kirsty Fish after winning a giveaway recently.
It had these two beautiful brooches...

...and these lovely cards, which I can't decide what to do with

The brownies I've made to take in to work on monday (well i was b*ggered if I was going to bake on my birthday)

The Butterscotch Layer Cake I made for my party yesterday (which went really well, with lots of nice people being nice to each other). The Lovely put candles on it, but bless him he was a candle out! I think the fact that I had my cake at half past eleven last night may have contributed to the confused candle counting!

Another thing I did yesterday was to finish off the hat. Look how lovely!

(please ignore the rather tired look in my eyes).

Then the best bit of all, today I got made scrambled eggs on toast for my breakfast, have been drinking cava all morning and got to open presents! Yay! So far I've been given all of these lovely things....

I'm especially impressed with the teatowel (which was from a family friend) and the rubber duck, who has now been named Florence. She was one of the lovely's presents to me, but my big present hasn't arrived yet (although I have been told what it is).

My parents and brother are coming up this afternoon and we're going into town for something nice to eat (although I'm not sure where yet). The only minor spanner in the works is that the stupid train company have cancelled all trains in and out of the city. Ridiculous.

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend - I know I am!
xxx

Goodness

2009-09-01T19:46:00.000+01:00

My word its been quite a while since I put anything new up on here (although as someone on the blogsphere told me, you should never feel obliged to post).

In a way it feels like not a lot has been going on here in the brumland recently, which is part of my reason for no-show on the posting front, but as you will soon see, rather more has happened than expected....

Take last thursday, for example. What I expected to be a rather same-y day at work, followed by a long lonely night in (the Lovely had packed himself off home for the Peterborough Beer Festival), turned into a rather fun time with the lovely Lanterloo. Initally we said it was only to be one drink....

Two pints, a shoe shopping trip, a ma-hoo-sive plate of chow mein and half a bottle of wine later I arrived home and promptly crashed out in front of the telly, waking up at half past 11 with the realisation that perhaps my bed would be a better place to sleep!

These were the two pairs I ummed and aaahed over:
(to the point of phoning the lovely whilst he was actually at the beer festival and asking him what he thought!) but I ended up choosing the first pair [although that's not to say I may not go back sometime this week and buy the second pair!]

This weekend saw the 25th wedding anniversary of a very good friend of mine, which meant a trip down to Bristol (which was quite a funny journey as I'll explain in a minute) and then an absolutely mamoth baking session on saturday morning which saw me produce just over 60 scones in a number of batches. Unfortunately, just as I was about to start, I realised that the ever faithful pastry cutters that my mum has used since I was teeny tiny are no longer in my mum's house. They're in my house. In Birmingham.

Luckily, we have quite a lot of people in the village we can call on in times of need so it wasn't long before I was back on the scone making train!

The party was fab, with a festival theme (as the friend is also my old singing teacher). The party started at 4, with Pimms, followed by afternoon tea, a couple of sessions in the marquee (did I mention that the entertainment was provided by all the guests?!), buffet dinner, more spots, and who knows what happened after that - I was picked up at 10pm by my brother so missed the end of the party. But actually, though I was sad to leave, it was definately better to leave the party on a high than be sitting there wishing I was at home!

Ah yes, the adventure on the journey home (as in from home to parents home)... The sad part is that we got caught up at the front of a traffic jam just south of gloucester, and by the looks of the cars as we drove past it wasn't a particuarly delicate crash. However, because we right at the front (I'd say maybe four cars back), we were waiting for quite a long time. Hilarity ensued when the woman in the car next to us got out of her car and opened both the front and back door. This led quite quickly to some speculation - was she, or wasn't she having a pee on the inside lane (as thats where her car was). Our suspicions were confirmed when, getting back into her car, she gave a little wiggle, OBVIOUSLY pulling up her trousers.
Oh
My
Word
The laughter could not be stopped. In the car behind us were two lads who quite merrily honked the horn, drawing even mor eattention to the woman, who looked straight ahead with a steely glare on her face....
Forever that day shall go down in history as "the day the woman peed on the motorway"

But its not all toilet jokes.... Honest....

This week should be good, as I'm back to choir tomorrow (Berlioz and Prokofiev this time round), have some friends round on saturday for a couple of birthday drinks and maybe some cake, and then on sunday I get to open presents! Yay! Oh and my parents are coming to visit.... But presents! (Not that I am in anyway materialistic you understand) The Lovely has been taunting me, pretending first of all to forget it, then to pretend to be going to see a football game... I'm also intrigued by my mum's gift, as when we were in Wells on sunday, she bought this box [which I can't find online but which is Emma Bridgewater and says "A Nice Present" on it] and all I know is that she plans on filling it by sunday....

Have a lovely week - mine will also involve thinking up my "22 before 23" which is something I've seen other people doing, so figured I'd give it a go myself!

x

This just in...

2009-08-24T21:25:00.002+01:00

News 1
My computer warned me that a program would run slowly due to lack of disk space. "Must just need defragging" thinks I. "You need 15% free space to run a disk defragmenter. You currently have 1% free disk space" says the computer.

"ah" thinks I.

Having had a bit of a trawl through my documents, deleting not a lot, but some things, I now have got back 7gb of space.

That in itself is a worry.... How did I have 7gb of junk?! And now I need to clear out my music - anything that is stored on a CD or MP3 is going. Any guesses for the amount I might get back?

News 2
I am thankful that living where I do there is a corner shop which is open until 10pm, and therefore available when you get sweetie cravings. Tonights fix was chocolate eclairs :)

News 3
I have been invited on a rather exciting hen weekend....

News 4
There is less than a fortnight to my birthday!

News 5
I've been told that my contract at work will be doubled, so I won't be unemployed in four weeks :D

News 6
Lovely Boy's best mate is coming to stay tomorrow. This is exciting but also a little bit worrying - I suspect I may be neglected somewhat over the next few days

And finally....
I have just started my third Persephone book. I was warned that they would be addictive. The warning was true!

And then there were two....

2009-08-19T23:08:00.003+01:00

The question I hear you all pondering is "two what?"

The answer?

Two socks!

Its been a while in the making, but its done and I am pleased as punch :D I was possibly even more pleased when the Lovely informed me that not only am I a "clever stick" for being able to make socks, but that he'd quite like a pair too! (though not - I hasten to add - socks with quite the same colour palette as mine....)

If only the ease with which the second sock went together could also have magically applied itself to this...

This is the nth time I have started this beret. I have counted (or tried to count) to 128 stitches nearly 128 times. I have got halfway through the second row of K1P1 to realise I may have not had enough stitches and the entire thing needs frogging. I have given up and gone to talk to the Lovely and watch him play SillyBoyGames as a means of distraction.
(maybe I'll give it one more go tonight though, just for knittings sake)

Thank you for the lovely thoughts for saturday - it went really well, and reminded me why it is I love singing so much; the audience response to B9 is utterly utterly phenomenal and makes me feel so lucky to sing with the choir I do. If you're interested in hearing it, its available on the BBC iPlayer at the moment, and I think you have until either friday or saturday to hear it [It was Prom 40, and B9 is the second part, but I would also advise listening to the first which was Stravinsky's Orpheus and lovely it is too]. Alternatively, if you maybe want to see it (including the marvel that is the choir singing without music), it goes out on BBC4 on the 11th September.

Hope you've all been able to get out in the sun this week, and haven't been stuck in an office with a broken photocopier which may or may not have been your fault....
xxx

(Just over) A week in cake

2009-08-13T22:22:00.004+01:00

(Badly) Frosted Red Velvet Cakes

[first ever attempt at piping icing so not as shoddy as it could have been]

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake (no pics - sorry)

Meringues

Blueberry Muffins

Maybe I didn't do quite as much as I wanted, and maybe I got a job rejection and realised that I was too late to buy a ticket to a now-sold-out gig I desperately want to go to, but I did bake.
And tomorrow I'm to London for the Proms! (minor plug - hear me sing (in a choir) on Radio 3 on saturday night OR wait until 11th September to maybe see me on the telly box)

Happy weekends - I'm going to try and get some real shopping (rather than innerwebs browsing) done between rehearsal and performance on saturday - top of the list is Persephone Books, as having finished the first of the four sent to me by Mrs. Magpie I'm already wondering what to get when they're done!

xxx

My first swap!

2009-08-04T23:19:00.000+01:00

A few weeks - or was it months - ago I signed up for A Thrifty Mrs.'s Sleepover Swap, and I must admit I did so with quite a lot of trepidation for a number of reasons. The first - and most important - was that I had never done a swap before, so was really rather nervous about the whole affair. Then there's the fact that although I do make crafty things for my friends (like scarves and purses), this would be making something for someone who not only makes their own crafty things, but, based on what I've seen on the blogosphere, makes them a lot better than I do!
However, I bit the bullet and put my name up for swapping, not knowing what to expect. What I got was a lovely swap partner in Jellybelly*Jellybrain (although I did panic a ~~little~~ lot when I found out she makes beautiful things for a living!). We sent a few emails back and forth, and then, on saturday we both recieved our parcels (mine should have arrived on wednesday but the Lovely was asleep [aww, bless]). My parcel was fab - just look at what was in it!

First off was this bag, which is made with some rather pretty fabrics I must say. Inside the bag, was....

Some Clipper tea (kudos on the tea :D)

A lovely oilcloth washbag...

...which had all these bits and bobs inside

A lavender heart (as lavender is purported to help you sleep)

A reversible headband

And this ever so pretty eyemask, which just so happens to have something rather remarkable on the other side

The eyes of one Mrs-Angelina-Jolie-Lady (as she is referred to in this house!). An inspired touch, as when my eyes look a state, there are some rather lovely ones that can be used instead!

In return, I sent this box of goodies...

Which among some sweeties and a rather magnificent bottle of nail varnish (even if I do say so myself), contained this CD

This rather mysterious package (although the hot chocolate and the wrapping is something of a clue!)

And this bag

As I mentioned above, I was really nervous about sending something to Jellybelly*Jellybrain, especially knowing her experience, but I gave it a go, and made something that I was so proud of I could barely let it go! Not only had I actually made a bag, but I had lined it, made contrast double sided handles for it AND I'd actually managed to put a pocket in it.
Look!

A hard-to-tell-its-there-but-honestly-it-is pocket!

Now in other news, you may have noticed that I said I recieved my parcel on saturday and its taken me until tuesday to post about it...
We had a bit of a whirlwind weekend, going into Kings Heath on saturday afternoon (being drenched in the process), before coming back home when I made these

Red Velvet Cupcakes! I only found out about these a few months ago, but they have become one of my very favourites (although the recipe is not for the fainthearted - I used a bottle and a half of food colouring and that was following the recipe). The one above is the one I considered to be the "perfect" cake in the batch. Its the one on the top left hand corner in the picture below....

Part of the making of these was because we had some lovely friends round for dinner (Vegetable Tagine and couscous anyone?) and these were the pudding. Word of advice - if you are going to make these, don't follow the method for the frosting as you'll end up with what looks like scrambled eggs. It needs to be heated, but a search of "Magnolia Bakery Red Velvet Cupcakes" in google should come up with something promising. Or you could just make cream cheese frosting, which is lovely. Also, this makes about 24 muffins, so if you're going to make fairy cakes, get ready to make hundreds!
I put the second batch in this evening (I only have one muffin pan :( ) and they look quite a bit more perfect

The trick was to only fill the cups 3/4s full, not all the way.

However, hectic life continued after saturday, as on sunday we found ourselves in Solihull for the first time ever. And why were we there? Because they have one of these and we needed a new telly (which caused my credit card to scream quite vocally) due to the one we have at the moment being quite royally broken. On the plus side, I was allowed to look at the kitchen AND the haberdashery departments, and came away with some new needles so that I can make this beret, an icing piping set (so I can make the frosting on the second batch of cupcakes look fab), two new cookbooks (hurrah for The Works!) AND we found a Tefal saucepan reduced to £30 in Lakeland.

Score!

This week has been a bit knackering at work, but I think that's because my body is starting to realise that getting up at 7am is not easy when you're in bed gone midnight. I have to do something about this as next week is going to be even more crazy as I need to do most of my hours before friday so I can leave earlier and go to London to rehearse for and then on saturday perform in this...

Hope you are all having lovely weeks, and sorry for any rubbishness in the response to email department - although I am reading them all, I seem to be in the middle of something else when I notice them and so don't get the time to reply to them there and then. Sorry...

Have a wonderful week (I know I will eating all those cakes :D)
xxx

I went to the shops today...

2009-07-27T20:59:00.002+01:00

...although I did have a reason for it. Honest.

I was buying a little something to finish off a swap I'm taking part in, and may have got a bit distracted...

Ok, I got a LOT distracted. But look!

Its practical! It has a purpose! It holds my rail card AND my train pass. Ok, so the train pass was already in a holdery thing, but it was sort of breaking, and besides. It was REALLY dull looking.

I also felt that I was allowed it given that I had not only a day of work today, but it was a PAID day of wok. Seriously, after a week of doing nothing I am so glad to be working again!

How about your monday? How was it?

What a difference a day makes...

2009-07-26T20:29:00.004+01:00

From this....

To this!

Thank goodness for a combination of parents with spare furniture, friends looking after other people's sofas (realise I haven't taken a picture of the new sofa, but the living room is a mess!), a trip to Ikea and quite a bit of elbow grease!

And how was your weekend? Productive? Or did you have a wonderfully lazy two days?
xxx

Updated to add: We ate fondue for tea (oh how 70s!), mainly because there was nothing else we wanted, but also because it reminded me of The Bourgeois Pig. I have just been informed that, if he could, the Lovely would eat fondue for every meal. I am worried.

I'm Back!

2009-07-23T11:38:00.000+01:00

Hello!

My word it seems like an awfully awfully long time since I last posted (and not having had the internet for at least a week hasn't helped that any!). You all seem to have had wonderfully busy times of it - or so it would seem if the 701 unread Google Reader items is anything to go by - and so I thought it only fair to update you all on the busy times round here...

Well the first thing which is incredibly exciting is that I actually finished knitting something! Late last night I had a final burst of energy and made this...

AND it fits me...

Ok, so it may have been the most expensive knitting bits I've ever bought before ($14.50 for 50g and I bought three....) but its so nice to knit with that it was completely worth it. Although now I'm worried I may have ruined myself and will never be able to finish the blanket due to its cheap yarn status.....

What else have I been up to?
Oh yes....
I MOVED HOUSE!

Would you like to see my new little home (or my "Love Nest" as one friend referred to it :P)?
You walk in the front door and into the dining room

This might be my favourite room. The window sill is wide enough to be a seat, so I often find myself perched on a cushion, knitting or chatting on the phone to my mum or reading books and most recently my newest obsession - Preacher. All our books are in here too, although there isn't the space for them all yet. Look how sad my cookbooks look stacked on top of each other rather than in a nice bookcase

But its ok as my parents are coming up this weekend with another bookcase... and a lot more books...
The dining room is also great because my ever beautiful Alice in Wonderland salt and pepper shakers can be put out. Here they are in prize position on top of the booze cupboard

Yes, we have a booze cupboard. Well we couldn't leave ALL of our studenty ness behind could we?

Then we have the living room. This is another of those "maybe this is my favourite room" moments.

As you can see it does have all of life's necessities in one room - my laptop, handbag, knitting bag, mug for tea, glass for wine and (just out of sight) a brilliant stereo system which is currently playing my new favourite album.

Or is it the kitchen that's best?

As you can see it is rather small, but its still lovely. AND no-one had ever used my (gas hob electric oven) cooker before, which is a very nice bonus indeed (especially after the jet engine that was my old cooker!). The kitchen is also where most of my teapots are kept, on this shelving unit.

Ok, so its not up yet, but it will be soon, promise (another thing for Dad to do...).

Upstairs is our bedroom. And look! A double bed!

About bloody time says I. Three years in a single bed is NOT fun. (The fact I have been told off nearly nightly for going on to the Lovely's half is irrelevant)

There is also my craft room upstairs, or rather what will become my craft room after another trip to Ikea to get things like a desk and shelves.

However, at least I've marked my territory with the bunting.

As indeed has the Lovely. Not with bunting but something slightly more sinister...

The Pirate Flag.
This is as far as I'm allowed into this room. It has been renamed "ManZone" and all I know of what goes on in there is that I'm not allowed to ask questions....

Another fab thing about this new house of ours is that even though its a 20 minute walk from Selly Oak, if you walk two minutes down the road you see this

and this

and its like living in a village again.

And there's more! For example, did you know that I now have a job (as of monday)? Its only on a temporary contract, but its a job, which means money in the bank (which will help pay for all the furniture we have recently bought!).
I am also no longer a student, which is slightly surreal. However, you'll have to wait a while to see any pictures of me in a silly hat and gown as Dad took them all and they haven't yet been emailed.

I hope that you're all well, and are enjoying this brief burst of sun that has been happening these last two days. Here's to it lasting indefinately!

xxx

Phew!

2009-07-07T20:38:00.002+01:00

My word its been a busy old time since I returned from the States....

Yesterday I started work! Ok, so its unpaid work experience which consists mainly of sifting through fifteen year old documents (no joke, I found one from 1979 - seriously, why keep all that stuff?!), but tis a job :)

Just wish they were paying me. (Although I have a cunning plan for this one - next time BossMan asks me how I'm finding it I'll drop hints about how I'd love to stay (which I would) if I was being paid, but can't afford to do any more work experience what with moving house, buying furniture etc, and see if he takes the hint! I doubt it will work, but its still worth a try)

And what was that I said? Moving house?
Why yes! As of friday (provided all the monies clear) I shall be the proud co-renter of a rather pretty little terraced house. We do need to buy a whole house load of furniture, but the plan is to do the important bits first (fridge, bed, sofa) and leave the slightly less important bits til later (guest bed, pretty bits that don't have a hell of a lot of use). We've also had a lot of generous people say that they can provide us with furniture. Not sure that we would necessarily want all of it, but quite a bit will be taken on board.

What else? Well, I've started work on my socks. Its very exciting, not least because working in the round is the craziest yet most straightforward thing I've ever done. AND I now know how to pick up stitches, which was again crazy but straightforward. I just have to hope that I don't get distracted and end up doing something else new instead. This could be difficult though as I do have to pack up all of my things here, and what with going to work every day (seriously, so pleased to be able to say that!) and choir tomorrow night, its going to be a bit of a squeeze getting everything ready for saturday morning when my parents turn up with a car to help make moving an awful lot smoother.

I haven't any pictures of anything at the moment I'm afraid (not even one of chocolate spread cake, which is far less sickly than it sounds [ie. a chocolate sponge with spread in the middle rather than jam or similar]), but I leave you with a video by the lovely Florence + the Machine whose new album came out yesterday which frankly is killing me. All I want to do is go buy it, but every time I get close, my brain goes "No! Think of what you need to buy in Ikea this weekend! And the fridge! And the washing machine!"
And then I say one word which rather neatly sums up my feelings on the matter

Shit.

xxx

TGAA part 2 (Mrs. B stylee)

2009-07-04T15:05:00.000+01:00

So I know I said that I would do a couple of posts and tell you all about TGAA, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that I would spend forever telling you about TGAA and hardly anything about the exciting things that have happened since. So here for your viewing pleasure is TGAA summed up a la the lovely Mrs B. who is proof that pictures can speak louder than words (so long as there's maybe two sentences of explanation with them :P)!

Vietnam War Memorial

Each side of each tablet was covered in thousands of names, and this is why

One of my favourite buildings in all of New York

This was originally at the site of the Twin Towers and now sits in Battery Park with an eternal flame burning in memory of those who died

The High Line

Interesting graffiti in Greenwich Village

Circle Line Boat Tour

Ellis Island

The standard "I went to New York and saw the Statue of Liberty" photo

The Brooklyn Bridge - we went both under and over it whilst we were in Manhattan

The view up the Hudson River at the top of Manhattan Island

and down the river at the same spot

Proof I did actually go in a boat!

I'd seen this before in pictures but never in the flesh, so was very happy to stumble across it by accident!

I can't explain why this is amazing, just take my word for it

Empire State (note the metal railings for your safety...)

Looking downtown

Looking east

Looking north

Green nails were the theme in New York...

Heartland Brewery and their "Voyage of Beer"

Grand Central station

Tender Buttons which made me think of KirstyFish

I have a whole collection of these, but this is still my favourite

I finally got to see the Alice in Wonderland statue

The following day, glorious sunshine!

Hans Christian Andersen - the book actually has The Ugly Duckling story written on it

Top of the Rock (and still with green nails)

The Empire State - if you put money in the viewfinder, you could see the people on the observation deck!

The Lovely must be a giant if he can touch the top of the Chrysler building so easily....

Like every good pub (see the Wellington) the Brooklyn Brewery had a cat

Hurrah!

The Lovely was far more excited about a beer tour than I was...

Our last night in NYC...

...And our first night in Boston

Tea in Boston on a rainy day made me very happy (so happy I bought a caddy of the variety we had back with me)

Just in case...

Yes, you too can have Christmas in New England in June

Make way for Ducklings

Our last day in Boston and finally the sun decided to shine

Perfect way to end, with a triumphant pose on the steps of the Bunker Hill Monumnet

It was such a wonderful ten days, I just wish it could have been longer! Still, there was a lot more besides, like a visit to Purl, making use of Big Apple Greeters (which I would heartily recommend), visits to Newbury Comics, Fishs Eddy (where I got some Alice themed salt and pepper shakers) and loads more shops besides, dinners outs, breakfasts in in the Charlestown flat (which honest to god was bigger than my entire house), a bus ride to Boston, obligatory breakfast at Dunkin Donuts, a trip to the Sam Adams brewery... the list goes on. Now I just have to find somebody willing to pay for me to go back again!

xxx

The Great America Adventure - part one: the journey

2009-07-01T15:06:00.000+01:00

This could take a while, so I thought it best to put it into parts - for your sanity as well as mine! We begin at the beginning (as that's a very good place to start according to Julie Andrews) with the journey...

Our story begins what seems like an awfully long time ago now, on the 15th of June, when we find our heroine glammed up and sitting in a train, waiting for her journey to begin.

Now you may ask just why our heroine (and for that matter her hero) are dressed quite so smartly, but there is a very sensible reason. Upgrades. Even though we couldn't be sure it would happen, a family friend had marked us both out as PSUs (or persons suitable for upgrade), which meant that there was every chance it could happen, and, given experience of travelling previously, I knew that dressing smartly was likely to increase this.

Well we arrived at the airport, our boarding cards were printed off and looking at them I thought "hmm.... I'm sure when we did online check-in the number was higher". Indeed it was, because in the little box on the ticket it said "upgrade". Hurrah! Without even trying we had been upgraded to World Traveller Plus (economy for those who can't afford business but want to :P)

We mooched around Terminal 5 for a bit (not the disaster I'd been worried about after all the opening issues it had!) and then headed over to the gate. At the gate, the very nice lady at the desk told me that my boarding pass wasn't correct anymore, so gave me a new one...

Upgraded again! This time we were had made it to the posh, fully reclining seats of business. The place where they give you free champagne

And delicious dinners (lobster thingy anyone?). If only travelling was always this lovely ;)
Then it was time to land, jump in a taxi and go over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan, where we went to our hotel, dumped our bags and promptly went to sleep!

Coming soon to a blog near you: part two - the first day (and maybe a bit more as otherwise it will take me longer than the actual holiday to post about it!)
xxx

Just to say...

2009-06-30T00:11:00.002+01:00

...I've not forgotten about all of you lovely people, or my promise to properly fill you in on TGAA but its all been a bit hectic here at the moment as since saturday we have driven back from Bristol, moved the Lovely's stuff into my house, driven BACK to Bristol, caught the silly o'clock train to Birmingham, viewed to houses and I've been to choir..... and I've still not unpacked properly from TGAA

HOWEVER I will update you all soon
xxx
ps. A mention of wonderful bloggy kindness - I mentioned in a roundabout manner to Alice at The Magpie Files that I was thinking of buying a Persephone book, but didn't know where to begin, and she sent me not one but FOUR as she was getting rid of them. Lots of love goes to her, from both me and my bookcase :)

Howdy!

2009-06-26T13:56:00.002+01:00

So I'm back! A little jetlagged (grrr... economy seats on a seven hour flight), but other than that pretty much the same as I was when I left.

Scary thing:
I have 589 unread items in Google Reader. After a week and a half. It may take me longer than that to read them all (so don't be confused when I do very late comments on any particular blog).

Exciting thing:
I got my degree mark :D I got a 2:1! :D Not figured out my average, but looking at my marks, I was borderline for most modules, but one module was borderline for a first and so I suspect that pulled my average up nicely. I also have no idea what my marks were last year or how that affects it, but either way I am a very happy lady.

I have so much to tell you all about New York and Boston, but with over 600 pictures (601 to be exact!) to sift through, unpacking to be done, and moving stuff when we get back to Brum tomorrow (not the big move, but the Lovely is housing with me until we find somewhere as his contract has now expired) it might be a while until I can properly update you on the wonders that were my holiday (hint: it started with us being upgraded twice :D)

Hope you have all been well these last two weeks, and I look forward to now finding out just how well you have been keeping
xxx

Very exciting weekend

2009-06-14T15:07:00.002+01:00

I love getting post, and when I arrived at my parents house on friday I was not disappointed. First of all there was this lovely card

which when opened revealed the kindest gift from my Grandma

$50 towards our holiday! Very exciting and so I obviously phoned her straight away to say thank you for such a kind gift.

There was also this box

which had me wondering "what on earth could that be?". Quite a while ago now (so long ago in fact it was on her old blog!) I won a giveaway held by A Thrifty Mrs, but due to the ridiculous postman who walks my street in Birmingham it was never delivered. As a testiment to how absolutely lovely she is, Thrifty sent me a whole new box full of goodies, and what goodies they are!

I love all of it, although I think that the little cup may be my favourite

look at the cute writing on it! Or maybe its this notebook

Teapots! What more could an obsessive teapot collector ask for? Maybe a teapot keyring (which you can see in the top picture). It was such a lovely parcel to recieve, and everything inside it seemed to have had so much thought put into it, I was very greatful indeed :D

But possibly even better than that was the fact that there was a parcel with my BRAND NEW CAMERA inside! The two hours that the battery were charging for were a torture, I just wanted to play! As a result I took lots of pictures of the other things that went on this weekend - like the puddings.
First off is my Dad's birthday cake - a carrot cake with a cream cheese topping.

I don't know where the decoration bits came from, Mum just presented me with a package full of bits. It was really good though as it covered all the bases
There was also this sponge pudding

I didn't eat any of it, but the middle contained halved plums and cream. I'm hoping that some of the plum juice soaked into the cake to make it moister, but haven't had any reports as of yet...

DIY Eton Mess. Lots of fun, not really that messy. there was also a gooseberry fool and a lemon drizzle cake, but I didn't get a picture of either of those (you can imagine how busy my friday was getting all that ready). What I did manage to photo was my new dress :D We went to Matalan yesterday afternoon to get the Lovely a shirt to wear with his suit tomorrow (the day we fly! eep!) and I just happened to spy this and try it on

I think its one of the loveliest dresses I own AND you can see my new camera thanks to the wonders of taking pictures in mirrors! You may be wondering why it is that the suit is getting an airing for the flight, but there is a very sensible reason for this. A friend of my parents works for BA and has managed to get us entry into the lounge at terminal 5, which is automatically good news. However, she's done one better than that and has got us down as PSUs or Persons Suitable for Upgrade. With the addition of some smart clothing, the hope is that the PSUs come through and we maybe get a teensy bit more leg room for the flight over. However, we'll just have to see what happens at the airport.

This will be my last post for a while, seeing as we fly tomorrow, so I wish you all a happy fortnight and look forward to catching up when I'm back (although I dread to think how crazy my google reader will have gone!)

xxx

What I'm Wemembering Wednesday*

2009-06-10T21:51:00.003+01:00

Because of TGGA, Nice Housemate and I aren't able to spend results day celebrating together in style. Never fear, that's what monday night was for!
Originally it was just a case of us going to the Welly for a drink. Note the singular.
However, I should have seen it coming when I ordered a bottle of my local cider (yay! home from home in Birmingham!)

(It didn't look like this to me, honest guv'nor, its just the useless old camera)

turn the bottle around, and can you see what I saw?

Oh dear... Still, a girl is only young once, so two bottles later it was off to Nando's we went for celebratory dinner. Lots of chicken, chips, corn on the cob (yay for food beginning with c - cake and chocolate also fall into this category [and actually, so does cider now I come to think of it]) and a bottle of wine. Then home for chocolate chip cookies (3 c's) and some more wine... eep....
Now I just have to hope we both pass with flying colours!

Tomorrow we leave Brumingham for the time being to go on TGAA! The packing is done...

...sort of. I still have a list longer than my arm of things which haven't been packed and sorted, and I worry that the Lovely is having his monday night tonight, which means I may have a very grumpy boy to deal with tomorrow morning when there is final packing and heading down to the parental palace (its not, but I'm really in the mood for alliteration now!) to be done. And why are we heading to the countryside?
The answer is because my lovely Dad turns 50 on friday and so we have lots of cake baking and birthday celebrating to do. I just hope that the weather holds its head up and sorts itself out (and I'm sure Fancy Elastic is thinking the same thing too!)

I leave you (but not for too long) with a what-I'm-wearing-wednesday attempt (well I had to do it given the alliteration in the title).

I remembered about this necklace a few weeks ago, and just love that when I twist it together it goes all ropey and twirly. As a result it has had much outing these last few weeks.

I get my new camera tomorrow (yay! so exciting - more so than the ever iminient TGAA?) so expect lots of pictures of the weekend celebrations as I get used to it before monday
Happy weekends
xxx
*excuse the atrocious spelling of remembering in the title, but it is the day of alliteration after all! :P

mmm...soup ...

2009-06-06T00:18:00.002+01:00

Who'd have thunk that all the lovely weather would go
And that the world would be all grey
And it would rain
Again

Still, there is something good that came up from this, as I made PEA SOUP!

It was a very simple recipe, but surprisingly satisfying and wonderfully green
All you do is...

Chop up an onion (I used a red one)
Fry it in a saucepan in oil thats had some cumin sprinkled in it (although I tend to heap in the cumin as I love it)
Make up 500ml of Bouillon Stock, and pour as much into the pan as necessary (I think I probably put in about 300ml)
Add peas to the stock and onion mixture. Lots of peas.
Cook for about five minutes and season
Then get out your Scrungely-wrungeler and blend until you've got a consistency you're happy with. As far as I can tell (as I still have a portion left) I think I got all the peas, but it won't matter if you don't.
Eat and enjoy. It would be delicious with bread and butter (if I had any bread in the house...)

Have a lovely weekend, even if it does turn into a washout
xxx

Newness

2009-06-03T13:34:00.003+01:00

So I went into Brum with the lovely on monday, ostensibly* to buy things for TGAA, but really just to have a perusal. I bought sensible things, like a travel adaptor, and... well that was it on the sensible, necessary for the now front.

I also bought three new balls of yarn - a yellow, green and a purple - for the blanket, as having laid it out on my bed at the weekned its not as big as I would like.

But the most exciting part? These...

Waterstones was having a 3 for 2 offer. Nothing strange there, they always have one. But this one was special. This one was 3 for 2 on ANYTHING! I may have nearly exploded from excitement... So around the store I went, gathering quite a stack on my arm (which may or may not be the reason I now have an odd looking mark on the inside of my elbow which just won't shift and only appeared post Waterstones...) before sitting down and figuring out how much I spent... Lets just say its a figure I wouldn't have spent were it not for the fact that because this was 3 for 2 on anything I could buy books that would never normally be in a 3 for 2 offer (if that makes sense...). Now I just have to figure out which one I want to start with, or whether I should read one of the other books stacked up round the house!

Last night the Wobble Pit had a barbeque, and my life it was good fun :D Although this morning, I did wonder if my slightly dodgy tummy was the result of at least half a bottle of Austin's (aldi own Pimms) and a couple of things of Sainsbury's Cava OR some low quality pork products cooked on an insufficient grill... Either way it was a good giggle, and a really lovely way to spend an evening.

Not much planned for today, other than awaiting the gas man, but tomorrow should be good, with an interview with an employment agency and then dinner with Lanterloo. Hurrah!

Happy wednesday
xxx

*I have a suspicion that I might still have my university head on if "ostensibly" is the first word I think of to use!

Meet Wendy :D

2009-06-01T10:37:00.002+01:00

She's here! Well, not here, but at my parents house. But she is at least in a family residence! I acknowledge some of you might be curious as to why Wendy, so allow to me explain....

I have a tendency to name things. My sewing machine is called Emmy, my toaster is called Brian. It was only a matter of time before the Kenwood got a name. Before seeing it, I thought it would probably be a girl, and would probably have a 1950s style name. Indeed, Dolores was the name that stuck with me the most. However, my lovely friend who saved Wendy for me, saved her from her neighbour.... Also called Wendy :D It seemed fitting to name Wendy after the woman who so generously donated her, especially as the name fitted so well.

I haven't yet had a chance to get her going, but in a fortnight's time its my dad's 50th and given the amount of food I've been lined up to make she will have a lot of work top do!

Happy Monday
xxx

ps. Still can't believe that my exams are over and I have the rest of my life in front of me... The next fortnight is full of prep for TGAA and plans for moving house... Very exciting :D

A rather long post with humorous interludes

2009-05-26T22:33:00.002+01:00

First of all I want to say a huge massive thak you to everyone who offered suggestions on the last post. I still wasn;t 100% happy with the final cake, but barring going out and buying a brand new oven it was as happy as I was going to be! I unfortunately didn't get a picture, but I can assure you that it was delicious!

Bampa's birthday was definately a success, and not just in terms of the cake. The meal was really nice and afterwards we down to Oxwhich Bay on the Gower. And look....

a giant sandcastle! We didn't build it, but I thought it was pretty darn pretty enough to warrant a photo. I took a couple of others (including one of me very bravely paddling in the sea) but my camera did its usual rubbishness and they didn't come out particuarly brilliantly.
However, what did come out qutie nicely was the photo of the SIX identical cards Bampa got. Now two I could imagine, but six?! AND they were all from people who live pretty locally to him in Swansea. The only thing we could think was that they were the only 80th birthday cards in the local shop.

In this case, seeing really is believing!

As it was a birthday there was lots of ...indulgence.
Example no. 1 - Mum and I having a bottle of wine at lunch. Each.
Example no. 2 - Three courses at lunch and then cake upon getting back to Bampa's
Example no. 3 - Champagne. Lots of.
Example no. 4 - Playing Bingo (guilty pleasure indeed). We went over the Club in the evening, and saturday night is bingo night. I still cannot shift the purple bingo pen off my hand...
Example no. 5 - Lots and lots of birthday drinks. I still can't remember putting my phone on charge when we got in and as such spent sunday morning thinking it was lost. Oops... Even funnier, Bampa had to be carried up the steps into the house... [I admit you may not necessarily agree, but it was when mum told me in the morning] Even even funnier, somewhat under the influence, both younger brother and myself were convinced to sing in front of all the people in the Club. Ave Maria with made up words anyone? (Although rather sweetly my uncle turned to my dad when they went to the loos and said "Rhiannon's got an alright voice hasn't she")

I appropriated one of the champagne corks after an incident with knitting needles and sunglasses created what dad calls a "point impact mark" on my sunglasses and I call "a bloody irritating spot in my field of vision". I now have new sunglasses (which I tried to get a picture of but failed) which have a case and some rather well protected knitting needles!

Tomorrow is my second and last exam. I genuinely can't believe that by this time tomorrow - and indeed at the time when some of you will be reading this - that the whole of the last three years will be unofficially over. Sure, I need to actually pass and graduate, but in terms of work and essays and exams and seminars and lectures, that's it. Today was spent trying to revise for the last exam, which has resulted in these rather fetching spider diagram plans of how to answer the questions

Now I just have to hope that I actually remember the stuff I'm meant to be talking about and can get a decent set of answers down.

I hope everyone had wonderful weekends, and that for those of you who are on half term (like my mum) you're making the most of it!
See you all when its over (eep!)
xxx

A tale of two cakes

2009-05-19T23:19:00.003+01:00

So on saturday my grandad (affectionately known as "Bampa") turns 80. And guess which grandchild has been roped in to make Bampa's birthday cake? You got it - the only one old enough to have their own kitchen!
Now this is normally something I would accept with relish, and to an extent I have, but for one teensy weensy minor problem.... Bampa's favourite type of cake is fruit cake and (hard as it may be to believe) I have never before made fruit cake.

I was told it would be simple. So, following Delia's recipe, setting my oven to the right temperature and cooking it for the time specified, this is what resulted.

Not exactly perfect - in fact, nowhere bloody near perfect. I couldn't understand what went wrong - whenever I make sponge cakes/lasagnes/stews/meringues/crumbles/pies etc. in my oven, I do it for the specified time and it works. Every time.
After a pow wow with my mum I tried again this morning. This time, I cooked it for half of the cooking time and put greaseproof paper on top of the cake.
This is the result.

Still a bit burnt, still not as perfect as I'd like. What I have noticed is that the burning occurs on one side only - my solution is that next time I will turn the cake every 30 minutes. Whilst this is a bad idea in theory (letting cold air at the cake before its ready) I have a suspicion it make work in practice. However, it does mean another trip to Sainsburys, and another £x spent on ingredients. So far I've spent £10, but now need more eggs, blanched almonds, maybe flour, maybe caster sugar, so I'm looking at up to a further £5 on top.
So, before I ruin yet one more cake, please - do any of you have any suggestions for how to perfect the godforsaken fruit cake? I am using a fan oven, which is what I think is partially affecting the cooking, but any other hints?

I'm so greatful for anything you can suggest
xxx

ps. To prove I am not a kitchen dunce, if you look at the top photo you will see the tiniest piece of sponge cake - this is all that remains (or possibly remained by this time) of a coconut cake I made a couple of hours after the first disaster, for pudding when Lanterloo came to tea. Why did that work perfectly but the fruit cake didn't? WHY?!

pps. two photos I had to include, even at this late stage: the kitchen surface whilst I cook, complete with my BEAUTIFUL cooking bowl, as bought by lovely housemate for my birthday, and my apron, which little bro bought for me for christmas two (?) years ago, and which has a lovely subtle tinge from the orange which I didn't realise was set in front of the camera

So excited I can barely breathe!

2009-05-15T18:26:00.004+01:00

OH

MY

GOD

I have a KENWOOD CHEF!

Ok so its not here yet, but my friend who is also my old singing teacher knew how much I've been after one, and her neighbour was getting rid of a kenwood so she snaffled it up for me! So so so excited that I've just spent five minutes running round my house like a mad thing in a fit of giggles and excitement.
It won't be in Brum until I move house but the key question now is:

What should be the first thing I make with it?!

And to think I was worried I had nothing to post about.....

Have a fabulous weekend!
xxx

What a wonderful weekend

2009-05-11T11:38:00.003+01:00

So this weekend just gone, I finally made the trip down to Oxford to see a friend who is there studying law with french law (yup, she is one of those scary scary people!). What a wonderful weekend it was. The sun was shining the whole time which made the city extra nice.

For a part of the afternoon she had to go play tennis (did I mention how scary she is and how she is captain of the tennis team...), so I took the opportunity to just meander around Oxford taking random lefts and rights. Foolishly, I did not take my camera out of my handbag for this part, but if you ever find yourself with free time in Oxford, I really recommend just meandering. I stumbled across the most amazing bookshop on Walton Street called Albion Beatnik (the website isn't running yet). They stock travel books, jazz biographies, 1900 to now books and beat poetry, with a side in second hand books and jazz cds. It was wonderful in there, and I probably spent half an hour just staring at all the titles. I think they must have hated me, but there were signs saying they encourage browsing, so maybe not!

Equally due to wondering, I stumbled across this pub...

I didn't go in, but with a name like this, I just had to take a picture!

That evening, we went out, beginning with cocktails at the grand cafe (dontchaknow). Lovely lovely :D Well, actually we began with a quick peek in the college my friend goes to, which has a church with a graveyard for its library! There were bluebells growing, which made for this (rather wobbly) picture

AND gorgeous wisteria all over the main quad.

Dinner itself was at Brasserie Gerard, and was delish. I didn't realise at the time it was a part of the chain, so am now upset that there isn't one here in Brum, as I would definately go back.
Then back for MORE cocktails at the Grand, before heading home to a bottle of wine, some homemade sultana and hazelnut biscotti (made using the lovely Mrs B.'s fail proof recipe) and talking with her housemates until two am [interestingly, this led to the best compliment I have ever had - "You probably get this all the time, but you look uncannily like Scarlett Johansson". Never heard that one before, but I was very much flattered!]

Rail replacement buses to Banbury on sunday weren't as bad as expected, and I got to see a ploughing competition, some baby cows (or calves as most people call them!) and not one, but TWO gliders. AND I stopped off at Urban Pie on the way home, to get take out pies for lunch for me and the lovely.

Today I have my first final, which is scary but not so. I lay awake last night getting more and more stressed as I tried to remember quotes and couldn't, but I think it will all be okay. Besides, me and lovely housemate are going to the pub afterwards so I have that to look forwards to!

Hope you all had wonderful weekends and managed to get out in the glorious sunshine
xxx
ps. My outfit for saturday night - I wasn't going to include it as its blurred, but I like the fact that you can only see what the snake shaped mirror shows too much to leave it out!

Good grief!

2009-05-08T13:39:00.003+01:00

The Wobble Pit have a carbon monoxide leak!

I've realised you probably have no idea who/what the wobble pit is. Allow me to elaborate.... When lovely moved into his house last year, he and the boys were trying to figure out what to call the house (no I don't know why they felt the need either, maybe they were ~~trying~~ failing to be cool). Given that at the time none of them were single, the steps which followed came as a surprise. They plastered the walls in pictures of women who have less sense than money (if you get my drift) and then came up with "Wobble Pit" because... well I think you can see where it went! [I hasten to add that the lovely was one of the minority who DIDN'T want the ladies everywhere, but he got outvoted]

ANYWAY I just had the lovely on the phone saying that it had been "a bit mad" this morning, as the alarm had been going off for a while. The solution? Phone John (the handyman) and then nip over to the pub for a cheeky one whilst they sort it out. Hmm... Am I the only one thinking it might take longer than a pint of the black stuff (no, not bovril) to clear the house?

In less shocking but still news news, there are only three days until my first exam, the ever questionable Shakespeare. Luckily both this years papers are pre-released, and so I'm currently trying to figure out how I'm going to:
Argue that there is not a justification for anthologising passages of poetry from plays
Discuss the extent to which we can see Shakespeare's clowns as being funny

Oh what an exciting life I lead?

This weekend has a lot planned, which may have been foolish given monday's exam, but, arguably it could be a very good thing indeed so as to stop me from panicing. Either way, if you happen to be on a rail replacement bus out of Oxford on sunday morning give me a wave - I'll be the girl either knitting a blanket or scowling at a copy of Shakespeare's finest...

xxx

Mental eavesdropping

2009-05-06T00:16:00.001+01:00

(title and concept blatantly ~~stolen~~ borrowed from The Magpie Files)

1.
It has been far far too long since I did any baking.

2.
Aldi sell lots of stuff (including camping equipment!) but not marigolds, and especially not marigolds like these ironically I normally hate the things, but some serious cleaning is needed

3.
I STILL can't stomach the smell of bacon cooking. Not good when awkward housemate cooks it at quarter to midnight

4.
I really do like wine

5.
I have no concept of portion sizes, thus have dinner for tomorrow already cooked

6.
Even though I should be revising, I spend all my time thinking of stuff to do after my exams

7.
After years of really hating the idea, I'm coming round to the possibility of maybe enjoying going camping

8.
I miss reading books that haven't been chosen by somebody else

9.
My blanket is three fifths of the way through. It may well be finished by the time we move

10.
I really should disable minesweeper from my computer. It's killing me.

Happy ~~tuesday~~ wednesday
xxx

Excitement

2009-05-03T19:23:00.004+01:00

My new favourite badge

The colour coded carrier bags from my online food shop. Delivered to the door, colour coded for ease, turned into funny shapes... what's not to love?! (if you wondered, green = freezer, orange = fridge, purple = cupboard)

The background lovely made me (you might need to click to enlarge to read the text). Originally, it was just kitties, but then I commented that they looked evil. Much laughter following the inclusion of the text. And THEN lovely decided really that damned kitties need to have demonic red eyes. Hurrah!

The necklace I made from and earring to wear with my "I'm a sailor girl" top. I took a pic whilst wearing it all together yesterday but it didn't come out, so this will have to do!

As well as all this, its a bank holiday (although it doesn't mean much when you spend all day every day doing the same thing), my exams will be over in three and a half weeks and in six weeks I'll be in the States. Whoop!

Happy bank holiday
xxx

Hurrah

2009-04-30T12:06:00.003+01:00

Hurrah: slightly less exciting than whoop but more exciting than yay
After all the giddiness of the last post, i thought you should see something even more exciting than finishing my dissertation....

The finished, bound product!

Also, who else had crazy rain on tuesday? I was on the phone t't mother when the hail started. At one point, because my room is between two sloping roofs, I ended up seeing hailstones at vertical, 45 degrees left AND 45 degrees right. Very odd...
However, thunder storms do make for bery pretty pictures

Taken from my bedroom, complete with lovely mistiness

Taken from lovely housemate's window - I love that my camera (for a change) worked fast enough to catch the drops mid-fall. Very niceness :D

Yesterday was hand-in day, which made for a very pretty what-i-wore wednesday. The shoes were the second choice for the day - the first pair rubbed like a be-atch, and I now have tiny blisters on my feet. Not impressed :(

However, the loveliness of the skirt totally makes up for any pain I may have felt!

And what is any kind of exciting day without a trip to the much loved Wellington?

This picture was very cunningly taken using a timer and a window ledge! Quite impressed, even if it pointed in slightly the wrong direction... The women at the next table said they would take another (presumably so they didn't have to worry about being in it!) but I quite liked the way it showed lots of the pub. Also, having had some actual time on my hands, I could finally join in the fun and paint my nails :D Whoop!

Today is less exciting, with LOTS of cleaning and the beginning stages of revision, but its all good. Tomorrow we get the first pre-release paper, so that could get stressful! Never mind, only two exams and then graduation.

actually, when I put it like that, suddenly it all seems too soon!

Have a lovely thursday wherever you are, and fingers crossed you aren't all up to your necks in laundry and clutter!

Much love
xxx

WHOOOOOOOOOP!

2009-04-24T19:56:00.002+01:00

WHOO!

YAY!

HUZZAH!

Is that loud enough (ok big enough)?

I'm not sure.
But here's what I am sure of.....

I HAVE FINISHED MY DISSERTATION!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok so it still needs proof reading, but at 11,511 its standing not only proud, but also standing like a palindrome.
YAY!

Stay tuned for pictures of one very happy girl with a proof-read, printed and bound copy of her dissertation :D

xxx

ps. sorry for the scary quantity of exclamation marks, I'm excited (bet you couldn't tell that...)

Well all the other kids were doing it...

2009-04-21T18:43:00.003+01:00

Ok, so not all the other kids were doing it, but I've seen this around a bit and fancied some (more) procrastination time :D

So here goes...
1. Are you wearing a hat?
Not now. I wear either my blue beret or grey cloche in the winter to keep my ears warm though

2. Bottled water?
Nearly never as I tend to forget, but I'll reuse bottles if I remember once I've bought them

3. Do you have a crush on someone right now?
Apart from the lovely, I quite like Ioan Gruffudd in Hornblower and Sean Bean in Sharpe (not sure what it is about the period dramas...)

4. What kind of computer do you have?
Sony Vaio laptop. Its silver :D

5. Do you prefer writing in pen or pencil?
Fountain Pen is best

6. Who was the last message in your inbox from?
I had a newsletter from Cath Kidston and before that an email from a close friend.

7. What’s your favorite season?
Spring or Autumn - I like the middle bits

8. Does your best friend have a boyfriend or girlfriend?
A boyfriend

9. Do you like Tea?
lots :D mainly breakfast, quite a bit of earl grey and also fruity/minty ones

10. Favorite radio station?
6 music

11. Type your name into Google. What's the first site that appears?
A tribute to a girl who died in a car crash

12. What’s your favorite song at the moment?
You men and the bourgeoise by The Submarines

13. Coke or Pepsi?
Coke.

14. Favorite subject in school?
English and Music (I'm allowed two becase I say so!)

15. Last concert?
Last one I saw was Goldfrapp, last I performed was singalong Mozart Requiem

16. Next concert?
Nothing booked, but I'm performing in the proms in august

17. Last magazine you bought?
Sainsbury's Magazine

18. Last book you read?
America Unchained by Dave Gorman

19. Do you prefer cats or dogs?
Cats, but i like dogs better than i did

20. Is there someone you want to punch right now?
No-one springs to mind, but i'm sure there will be someone!

21. Favorite sports team/sports person?
Not a massive sports person, but I'm starting to get into IPL where we support Punjab King XI because they're our "local" team (according to google maps!)

22. Country you most want to visit?
India again

23. Are you a Blogger addict?
I am at the moment!

24. When do you shower?
In the morning

25. What’s your dream job?
Not really sure, although if I could do things I enjoy for a living, that would be ace

26. What kind of car do you drive?
I borrow my mum's corsa when I go back to the parental house

27. What word in the dictionary best describes you?
Eccentric

28. What’s your blog address?
http://princessmug.blogspot.com/

29. Worst TV show at the moment?
One Tree OC Hill Creek

30. Are you a better talker or better listener?
Am I allowed to be a bit of both? Each when its needed most

31. What your favourite color?
It fluctuates, but tends to stick around green, blue, purple, pink and red

32. What is your favourite animal?
Spidermoose (he's a superhero)

33. Are you afraid of the dark?
When I start thinking about it or I have a nightmare I am

34. Is there something lacking in your life right now?
There is, but its stuff that I feel too young for - like houses and babies - I'm 21 for crying out loud! I've got a good few years yet! Oh, but I would like a KitchenAid and a nice job :D

35. What do you miss most about childhood?
Being able to read all day every day. I thought my degree would let me do that, but its all essays :(

36. How many times did it take you to pass your driving test?
2

37. How many kids do you want?
Probably no more than 2, but even though I want them I'm too young to know how many!

38. Are you good painter?
Only walls with a roller

39. Can you cook?
Yup :D

40. Are you a cheapskate?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends what it is I'm buying

41. What would you do with a million pounds?
Buy a house outright and go on a holiday with no money worries

42. Have you been to Disney World?
No and it doesn't really appeal

43. How many days a month are you online?
Every day. Unless I'm busy all day, but atm its not likely

44. Last time you went bowling?
Erm... In the summer. I was crap.

45. Hot or cold weather?
Cold I think

46. How many pairs of shoes do you have?
More than I need, less than I want

47. Are you a shop-a-holic?
Yes, but I'm sensible with it; I rationalise before I buy and I don't (always) buy if I don't need

48. Where were you yesterday morning at 10:30?
In bed. It was warm :D

49. Are you afraid of the dentist?
Nope.

50. Were you bored or entertained by this survey?
Well, it stopped me doing other stuff so kind of yes

If you made it this far, well done! You know lots of random stuff about me now :D

And now for an education update...

2009-04-20T12:55:00.000+01:00

Chapter 2 is finished! yay! Now i'm half way through, with only two more bits to write before completion :D

As a reward, I'm now off for lunch with a friend, huzzah hurrah!

More from our education correspondent later this week...
xxx

and the crowd are loving it....

2009-04-18T13:02:00.002+01:00

Brilliant! The python boys imagine Hardy writing in front of a crowd....

Much love
xxx

Betterness...

2009-04-17T17:20:00.003+01:00

Sorry about that rant yesterday... might have been a tad irritable at the time!
In better - much better - news, I did finish the chapter last night, which means a whole third of my dissertation is done! Woo!

Also, in good news (well, hygiene news) I spent an hour scrubbing my bathroom today. Some would say its work avoidance, but my it needed it, and I'm so pleased that its actually sparkling. My housemate hasn't seen it yet, but I suspect she may collapse, given I've never been one for cleaning unless I really feel the urge (which is rarely...)

I'm off to dinner at Lanterloo's tonight, taking a raspberry and rhubarb crumble with me. It should be lovely as its quite a long time since I've seen this dearest of friends.

Also, whilst the TV is on in the background, I've just noticed that Film4 are hosting a "Great Adaptations" season. There looks to be some great films on over the next two months, so if you get a chance I would recommend to watch some of them, and then read the book (or vice versa)

Have a lovely weekend
xxx

Yuck :(

2009-04-16T23:13:00.002+01:00

This was meant to be a happy post where I could say a great big "hello" to all the new people who've been commenting recently, and an extra special shiny hello to my first ever follower! I nearly fell out of my chair (luckily it was the sofa, so unlikely) when I saw the little green symbol on my editing page. I didn't even know there WAS one of those!

Unfortunately, I am currently in the grip of dissertation writing, and frankly its sapping my soul. Its not that I don't like Thomas Hardy, and I find the stuff that's been written about his attitude to women interesting.
Which is lucky given that's what my dissertation is on.

However, I HATE having to put it all into a 12000 word chunk.
I mean its good, I've done my introduction, nearly finished the first chapter and thats 4000 of the blighters gone.
And its not like this isn't a subject I could be perfectly eloquent on.

But Oh My God its like pulling teeth. Really stuck, shouldn't be coming out of my mouth teeth.

*sighs*

Sorry to burden you all with this, especially you newbies to my slightly rambled world. I hope I haven't put you all off this web address for life...
In happier news, its only two weeks until the damned thing is handed in, and then there should be lots of niceness.

OOOH!

(thought I'd go a bit bigger in case people are looking for the eye catching stuff).
If you're in the UK did you watch Kirstie's Homemade Home on C4 this evening? If you didn't, i really liked it, and would recommend either watching it again (hurrah! 4OD!) or even just checking out the website which gives a couple of good things, including a quick and easy envelope cushion tutorial. Probably easy-peasy for most of you out there, but I like the idea of being able to make something for the new house when we move (only 3 months now!)

So did I salvage this post? I hope so....

Much love
xxx

Wow!

2009-04-12T22:08:00.001+01:00

This is why I love the fact that my parents live in the countryside, even if I hated it as a teenager. Where else would you see such a lovely old thing like this in a fairly shiny-looking petrol station?

Happy Easter
xxx

Hurrah!

2009-04-11T11:01:00.002+01:00

Always one to favour the local bews (see below...) I made my way over to the brewery shop this morning and came back with this loveliness....

I'd like to point out that they aren't both for me (thankfully?), one is for my Dad. However, one will be coming back up north (ok so I live in the Midlands, but its bloody north from here!) on monday, as a tin easter egg to be shared with the lovely.

In other news, its finally sunny again! Yay! It might have only been two days since it was sunny but it feels like a lot longer!
We're going to fire up the BBQ this evening, and I've been roped in to making a crumble so its all good :D

Also... I finally got to use a Kenwood Chef the other day. Might not seem like much of an achievement, but its a GOOD THING as I've wanted one for so long, but they cost an arm, a leg and the left hand side of my face, so its good to know that I won't get fed up of one the minute I get one. Now I just need to save up £350 for this baby

Have a wonderful easter all of you, and enjoy the sun while it still shines
xxxx

Who needs easter eggs....

2009-04-10T11:15:00.003+01:00

When you can have these pretties instead?

They were my easter present from Mum - we went to Bath yesterday (so many pretty things, so little money...), and whilst in the ever lovely Bijoux Beads, she said that rather than an egg, if I wanted I could have £10 towards beads. Like I was going to say no! A quick threading session, and here's what they look like now...

(apologies for the tired face, not sure why it is but there you go!)

Last night was nice as we went out for dinner at a pub in the village, and although the food wasn't quite as nice as I'd hoped it was still good, and I got to drink two different local pints (we went to the Club after, which was as brilliant as ever). I'd recommend the Gorge Best over the Butcombe, but both are still good pints (biased...moi?)

Also, a couple of days late, but here's a 'What I was wearing Wednesday' - I bought the cardigan on wednesday, hence the 'I'm a model' pose (nope, I'm not convinced by it either!), and the miniskirt has been in my wardrobe for about two years, but its only recently that I've felt my legs are not going to look utterly horrific in it!

Hope you all have lovely Easter weekends with just enough chocolate to enjoy without being ill! (and touch wood the weather will clear by the end of today - its only been two days and I'm already fed up with drizzle!)
xxx

This just in from our education correspondent

2009-04-08T23:44:00.002+01:00

Who's just written the introduction to their dissertation?

Why, that would be me :D

At 1036 words, its only a small part of my 12,000 limit, but considering its how long I wanted my introduction to be I am v much happy.

Whoop!

Stay tuned for further news from our education correspondent...
xxx

Blue day

2009-04-07T13:15:00.002+01:00

Maybe its the colour tshirt I'm wearing

Maybe its the ink that's all over my fingers

Maybe its because even thought the sky is currently this colour, the ominous grey clouds are getting ever closer

Or maybe its some other reason completely, but today is a horriblely blue day that has me feeling all sad and depressed

Any ideas of how I can cheer myself up?

Grr....

2009-04-06T21:39:00.002+01:00

This post originally started out life as a much angrier one, but having calmed down since yesterday, I'll give you the story as I wrote it in the heat of the moment anyway, just for giggles!

Well, as I was walking home, some nasty w***er through an egg (yes, an egg!) at me from their moving car. Jeez it hurt. Rest assured I gave them all the abuse they deserved!
In hindsight, although it was nasty, its quite a comic story!

On a happier note, this weekend has (with the exception of ten minutes last night) been lovely.

Sunday was the Singalong, which meant lots of sounds like this

And then, during the breaks, some really really deliciously filling pie and mash from The Mash House (can't find the link, but these are the people who own what started it)

As for saturday, it day was a birthday-day, and so I found myself in The Electric (v. cool cinema) to watch The Boat the Rocked. Oh my days its funny, and I would highly recommend it (unless you don't like Richard Curtis in which case, don't go).

For the birthday girl herself, I made this pencil case which I filled with pencils and gave with a blank jotter pad. Ok, so she's not five, but she IS a very talented artist, and as I know nothing about decent supplies, I thought something was better than nothing!

(also, ooo pretty lining. I think its my favourite fabric I've ever bought, but I got it so long ago I know that if I went back to get more they probably wouldn't have any :( )

Today I trained home, in which time I nearly finished the fourth blanket square. Its coming along at a fairly reasonable rate, although its only a matter of time before my dissertation really really gets in the way of valuble knitting time!

How about you? What have you been up to recently?
xxx

Not impressed....

2009-04-02T16:02:00.003+01:00

THIS

has been outside my house since half past ten this morning. Weeing fluid on to the road.
By half eleven when I left the house it had been abandoned
It was STILL there when I got back at three....
At half three, people finally came back, and now, finally, at four o'clock, a whole FIVE AND A HALF HOURS since it got here it has finally gone.

Your day been any less irritated by a giant concrete lorry?!
xxx

Exciting news!

2009-04-01T14:38:00.001+01:00

I found out a while ago that a friend of mine has a house in Boston (ok, her parents do) and its going to be empty at the time of The Great American Adventure.

So after a few emails, we've got the apartment for the week that we're there for....

FORTY POUNDS A NIGHT!

That's all... forty pounds!

Considering we were going to spend £600 on a hotel for the stay, I am very very excited.... AND it means more money for shopping whilst we're there.

Yay!

Are you having a happy wednesday?
xxx