Sleepy...

So so tired :( however, 3 more days til I get a day off and 12 more shifts until I start my new job. It's not that I'm counting down. I'm just very excited to be part of a brand new project. New challenges, new people and possibly new qualifications. My life is on the up and as a good friend once advised me, this could be my year. I certainly hope so anyway. right, time to snooze...

New!

New phone, new job, new start! I've just got myself an iPhone 4s on o2 and I don't know how I survived without one before now! I absolutely love it, it's so fast and helpful, the applications you can get for it are so much better than Android and the camera is awesome. That's only the beginning but already I'm in love....

And my new job... well... I am SO excited to start, it's unreal. I'm going to be a trainee young carer support worker. It's a totally new venture by the company so I'll have a lot of say on the development of the service and will also be helping with setting up the website and the new blog. Exciting stuff! I just can't wait to get started but at least I know when my first day is - 23rd April, so wish me luck! I'll keep this updated on how I get on with it. Totally buzzing for it though...

Sunshineeeee!

Today's been glorious - the sun's been out and heating the world up beautifully. I got a couple of loads of washing dry, another couple nearly dry, the whole house tidied and hoovered and fresh air into all the rooms. Hoorah! So, I have a clean house, a full fridge, and now a full belly. The man took home two joints of silverside this afternoon so we decided to have a roast with one and I cut the other into thick steaks and they're now chilling out in the freezer. The packet said I should do one joint for 2 hours, but I'm pretty good at judging the cooking time for meat so decided to only give it 1hr 10. Thank goodness I did! We like our meat rare but it came out just a perfect medium-well done, so that was fine for us. I cooked it (after browning in a pan) in a sliced onion and 1.5tsp gravy salt with some boiling water. Once cooked, I put the meat on a plate, covered with the tinfoil I'd covered it with in the oven and then put the juice/onion mix in a small pan. I added a glug of red wine, a good splash of water, allowed to reduce slightly then added some cornflour and water mixed together, then returned it to the boil for a thick gravy. Yummers!

Anyways, I only have one more day of holidays left - boo :( but then my life becomes more exciting so it's all good! More about that another time because it's all hush-hush right now, but all in good time, dear readers.

Tomorrow's plans? Post my shoes back, hand in my application form to join the doctors down here and get the rest of my washing dry. I've also got a rather large form to fill in and then take up to Thainstone at some stage, so I better get that done while I'm off! Ooft! Apart from all that, I'm going to enjoy my last day off, chill out, maybe pamper myself a bit and then go back to work the next day, refreshed and ready for a hard days graft.

Right, the man says it's time for pudding, so I better go and make the bed since it's still stripped from earlier!

Chow the now!

A x

Bacon, Mixed Bean and Tomato Soup

Yummers! This has to be one of the best things I've ever had in my life. I'll give you the recipe.

Recipe

2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cans of mixed beans, drained - personally I used 1 tin of cannelini beans and 1 of haricot beans
1L chicken/vegetable stock. Use whichever you prefer. I used 2 veg stock cubes
2tbsp vegetable oil
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp tomato puree
3 or 4 rashers of (smoked) bacon, chopped in small bits
1 can sweetcorn, drained
1/4-1/2 tsp chilli powder

Method

Heat oil in a large sauce pan/stock pot over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook gently for 3 mins, then add the garlic and cook for a further 2 until onion is softened. The idea is not to colour the onion and not to burn the garlic. Put in the chilli powder and stir well.

Add the bacon and allow to fry for a couple of minutes until it's no longer raw coloured.

Pour in the tomatoes and bring to the boil. Add the stock, tomato puree, sweetcorn and beans. Simmer for 30 minutes.

When serving, add a little double cream and stir through. Serve with crusty bread.

Enjoy!

Live from the Potting Shed!

That's right folks, I have managed to take my laptop out to the garden and fashion a little writing haven for myself. Until moments ago, I was sitting by the door and there was a rather chilly draft coming in through the broken piece of glass. But, huzzah! I fixed it and now I'm all cozy and settled at my new desk (a shelf in amongst the seed trays and pots) although I'm still hoping it doesn't rain as there's a great big slit in the glass right above my head. However, this doesn't really bother me as if it starts to rain, there's something covering my laptop - another thick shelf - and it means that I only have to worry about keeping myself dry. Worst comes to worst, I move 3 feet over to my right...

Now, I have decided my pepper seeds are a failure. They came with their own little pot, complete with compost and a cover. I must admit though, the compost seems to be awfully waterlogged so the lid is off but alas, nothing is happening. So I bought some new pepper seeds to see if these are more willing to sprout than the last lot. If they're not, then at least I've tried! A quick update on my current little babies (while I remember): rocket, salad leaf mix, cat grass and lettuce. Nothing else has appeared yet but I am ever hopeful that my killer fingers (you think I'm joking?!) are slowly starting to turn green. My clematis' are doing fine too, slowly climbing up the stakes I put in with them as soon as I bought them. One is still a lot weaker in appearance compared to the other but at least it's not dead. Yet.

I have also just bought 3 planters so I can get at least 3 tubs of tatties on the go. It'll be nice to see how well I can grow them, although the pressure is on since my dad is such a dab hand at growing them! He also grows neeps (swedes) and a huge variety of other things, although his tatties and neeps are grown in fields as apposed to planters or a garden. But never mind having fields to plant things in. I have my own garden and it's got plenty of room for the things I'd like to (try to) grow.

Dare I say, being in my greenhouse is bliss? Yes, I think that's what I'd call it. It's my own little heaven where I can truly be myself, write if I like, have munch and not feel guilty and let my thoughts and troubles drift away on the breeze that floats in when I have the top vent open - which is all the time when I'm in here. It's just so relaxing and it means I can look at my little seedlings and feel good about myself for once. I don't have to pretend to be someone else, I don't have to tidy up everything, I can get my hands dirty and not worry. I love it out here. I also feel like it's a little escape from reality and someday, I'll be able to eat my produce, saving some money and feeling the benefits of knowing there are no artificial things lurking in my own herbs and veg. I'm not growing fruit (yet) because neither of us eat that much of it and I don't know what to do with it all. I could make raspberry jam and keep it to use over winter and start making Christmas presents out of it all, I suppose, and that's another route I could look into. Other people could enjoy my little hobby. This is all making me very happy.

I know my venture is going to cost money for a while since this is the first time I've taken gardening even remotely seriously, but after I have all the equipment I need, I won't have to buy any more for next year and the years to come because it'll all be here. All I'll have to do is keep myself in seeds and compost, and maybe splash out and buy a new watering can (see what I did there? Splash, watering can, never mind...). I have to admit I spent a fortune on this weeks shop (£76!!!) but that was because I'm buying store cupboard ingredients and again, they last through a lot of meals. I like my asian food, be it thai, chinese or indian, so I thought it would be worthwhile to buy all the proper sauces and seasonings so that we didn't have to phone up a takeaway to get good takeaway food. I'm a fairly good cook and I'm learning all the time, so why not try and do it all properly? I was quite honestly sick of reading through my cookery books and realising I have all the meat, vegetable and starchy ingredients but nothing that was required to make the sauces. So, that's now sorted and I can get down to making my own sauces, experimenting with flavours and learning what I like.

This is all sounding a little housewife-ish, isn't it...

Sproots!

My fingers are starting to turn green... I have a load of little seedlings appearing of various types. This pleases me a lot. I have loads of little rocket ones, and cat grass, and mixed salad leaves and lettuce, so it looks like we're going to have lots of salad for the summer, if I keep planting at regular intervals! My spring onions haven't sprung yet, and neither has my thyme, peppers, chives or sweet peas but it's early days! I planted a few more flowers for hanging baskets and borders the other day so they've not had a chance to grow yet but I'm happy so far. I must remember to get some pics and put them up some time.

I also have to remember and do the ironing, build my desk and do some shopping tomorrow. Saying that, there's no rush for the desk since I'm on holiday for another few days so there's plenty of time. I really do need to phone someone to get the dishwasher installed though since it's taking up a lot of space in the kitchen and it's getting difficult to get into cupboards for pans which in turn means they're taking up space on the counter - space I don't really have...

So all in all, the outside of the house is coming along nicely, but the inside is a bit of a temporary disaster area. Oh dear.

15/03/12

Today's been weird. My stomach's still not right and I'm sitting on my own in the living room, in the exact same position that I took up as soon as I slumped down here. I'm cold, lonely, hungry and bored. (I did go up to see the man as soon as I came home, but he said he was tired so I left him to sleep. What a good fiancée I am!) So now that I'm on my lonesome, I bet you're wondering what I'm planning to do with myself for the rest of the evening. Well, let me tell you the truth. For the past two hours, I've sat and read my book on my ipod - the fourth in a fortnight! - and had the tv on in the background. I came home hungry but seeing as I've not really bothered to get food, my appetite has subdued somewhat and I no longer feel like eating, even though I should do for a number of reasons... health, energy, celebration, the list is fairly short but that's not the point.

But anyways. I'm considering going to bed soon. Yes I do realise it's only 8pm but that doesn't matter to me right now. I'm feeling low (which is unusual for me nowadays) and the best thing I can probably do is sleep it off. Although I'm also debating with myself whether I should stay up past 9pm as my parcel from Sports Direct is apparently "out for delivery" and they say they deliver up til 9 at night. For now, I'm unsure and may well just stay downstairs. Knowing me, if I go to bed, they'll appear and I'll have to run and catch them before they disappear into the night with my new shoosies!

Oh well, I take it my parcel isn't getting delivered tonight - contrary to their website - so I might as well finish the chapter I'm reading, lock up and go to bed for a night. I must also remember not to trip over the man's boots at the top of the stairs. I went up earlier to, um, powder my nose and nearly went flying over them. (Hey, it was dark and they shouldn't have been there!) I'll bid farewell for a night although I feel I'll be back tomorrow to have another rant/chat.

Tootleoo!

Trainers, anyone?

Why on earth is it so difficult to find a pair of trainers you both like and can afford? Even online, they're so expensive for anything vaguely nice-looking. There are loads that I like but are out of my price-range by a long shot and I don't really want to spend that amount of money on shoes, even if I am going to wear them mostly every day. Saying that, for everyday wear, I should be able to justify spending that little bit extra on them... shouldn't I???

Ho hum, I suppose I'll find something eventually. On another note, a rather noisy one at that, next door are creating the most hellish sounds I've heard. The mother seems to be incapable of speaking and can only shout/scream at anyone who dares to ask her a question/doesn't do as their told/can't mind read. They also seem to be a family that lack the ability to shut doors quietly... or walk upstairs without having to make sure their feet nearly go through the steps... or stop tapping/knocking on doors/walls/surfaces. In truth, it's so frustrating that they just won't shut the heck up, but never mind. We still have a housewarming to plan and by golly, the neighbours will soon know we're here!

Now that the mother has had the hoover out and whizzed around the living room for a total of 1 minute, I think it's time I had a cup of tea. And then it's suppertime since I'm feeling a little more like eating. Eating's not really the problem, though. I had breakfast this morning even though I was feeling sick overnight. I've only felt progressively worse up until now and I'm feeling quite peckish. Let's see how this goes. Sausages and mash and sweetcorn is on the cards. Yummy :)

Off for now, may have found some footwear to suit my needs!

The Tattoo.

So I finally got a picture of it. Personally, I love it. A lot of people won't but to be quite honest, that's not what matters. What does matter is that I life it, it means a lot to me and it will always be with me.

So.... Tah-daaaaah!

Rumbly in my Tumbly!

Regular as clockwork, my stomach has decided to try and digest itself in a bid to be fed some breakfast. Well ok, belly, you win. What shall we have? I think some french toast may well be on the cards, but what sort of accompaniment would marry so well with your sweet, cinnamony flavour? I would love white chocolate sauce, but alas there is no chocolate in the house. There is Galaxy in the car, but since I'm currently unshowered and my hair has a mind of it's own, defying gravity to the very end, I daren't set food out the door for fear of being laughed at. I could always use a little of the new chocolate philly...? Although I'm not sure how to treat it...

Anyway, I'm sure I'll find something suitable after raiding the cupboards or the internet for ideas, or possibly both! Hopefully something tasty will hit me like a brick wall (although I'm not sure why that saying is so popular since I was totally unaware that a brick wall was capable of lashing out, or moving in the slightest!).

Time to move to the kitchen and find out what I have to work with. Not a lot, I suspect...

Gardeners World

I think I'm becoming domesticated...

As you might know, we just moved house before Christmas 2011. We aquired a garage, drive, layby parking space, gardens to the front, side and rear to the property and also... a greenhouse. So today, I thought I'd take a travel out into the garden and investigate this metal framed structure lurking in the corner of our garden. On first inspection, it's in pretty good nick, if a little green in places and has a few problems with a few of the windows and joints between them. However, on the inside, it was an Aladdin's cave of goodies left from the previous owner, including a flymo strimmer, a hedge trimmer and a rather suspicious looking hover mower. I think it will be disposed of, but the other electricals seem in good condition so will need to try them out to determine whether they stay or go. There was also an abundance of used (and reusable) flower pots, a watering can that not so much sprinkles but explodes, a selection of weedkillers and an anonymous bottle with fluid in it - I don't want to spray it in case it kills something! So all in all, I've found a heap of stuff which I now don't need to buy, and some things which need repaired like the hand tools and ground tools. My dad's going to help me out with some things, but he's a bit of an expert being a farmer and all, so that's ok.

 

Upon seeing the mess of dirt, old compost, spiders webs and dust, I concluded that it's time the greenhouse got a bit of a clear out. It took me a couple of hours, but I've been successful.

After making sure everything was cleared properly, I started to put back in the items to be kept and also new that I'd bought over the past few weeks. Several seed types are now sown and I've also repotted the clematis' that I bought yesterday because they looked a bit weak and in need of a bit more space.

Fingers crossed that I learn to grow flowers and veg sucessfully, but there are - of course - no promises! But I have the best chance now...

After finishing in the greenhouse, I also made some soup - 2 pots! The first is vegetable soup for both me and the man, and the second is broccoli which I'm going to freeze in single servings so that I have a stock of them for quick lunches and meals when I need them. And I put washing out after lunch to dry a little bit. Goodness me, I'm nearly a housewife! But this does beg the question - how long will it last?!