Archive for the Family category
Christmas Traditions
Posted on Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 9:47 by Michelle
I was reading an entry on Lifehack about Christmas traditions. It made me realise one of our family traditions, which is new PJ's on Christmas eve. As children we always had new nightwear ready for us after our bath on Christmas Eve, and now I wrap these for my children to open and wear on Christmas Eve.
Another 'tradition' I gleaned from somewhere and trying to incorporate in predictions. After Christmas dinner we all make predictions on a global and family scale. These are written down and packed away with the baubles, we open them up on Christmas Eve to see how close (or not) we were.
I like their idea of scratch cards and may introduce a couple of those this year as something to look forward to once the frenzy of present unwrapping is complete.
|Easter Holidays
Posted on Tue, Apr 07, 2009 at 10:41 by Michelle
The kids are back for their Easter break, and get a whole month at home. I love having them around and being able to spend some time with them.
Unfortunatley they don’t feel the same, they are at an age when they don’t want to hang out with me, and going away to school means they don’t have friends locally. I always try to find things for them to do when they are home, but have to admit, it’s like dragging teeth getting them to do anything. I had a chat with them yesterday when I told them I'm going to stop offering activities, I find it quite stressful trying to find things they'd enjoy then presenting it in an attractive way. I informed them they are capable of discovering entertainment for themsleves and that I will happily taxi them along to the things they want to do.
Today I have an appointment at the gym to start a new membership, our local council run gyms are very good. Although the one clsoest to me is old and shabby, there is one not too far off that is a lovely modern gym. As a student it's very reasonable at £13 per month, and £17 if I want to use the classes and pool. I may take the full package as the new pool (Sunderland Aquatic Centre) is spectacular, and has a lovely diving pool with diving classes for youngsters.
I have a free range turkey that I bought on Christmas Eve (when they were marked down) that I must get out of the freezer today for our lunch on Easter Sunday. We may have that on Saturday though, as thank goodness the boot sales are back on, and my Sunday afternoon meandering can start again.
|Trains, kids and getting older.
Posted on Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 10:41 by Michelle
When I travel to see the kids it is always by car, but my lift had a training course in Essex next week and it would have been madness to drive home, then back to Essex for the course. I could have not visited, it's only 2 weeks until they come home, but I try to squeeze every second of possible contact with them that I can. So I went there in the car, and came back in the train, which is where I am writing this. I was very lucky, I booked it last minute and it was either not very busy, or it's a particularly cheap route. For some reason the regular fare was £36.50 and 1st class £36.00 So I'm sitting in 1st class where there are lovely big seats and lots of leg room, as well as complementary tea/coffe, still and sparkling water, and nice cookie type biscuits. There are only 3 other people in the whole carriage so I have a table all to myself, and although I like car trips, I love traveling by train, even in regular class, it's nice to be able to walk around, to go to the loo, and to get a cup of tea, play a game off cards with the kids, or write my blog, or watch a movie on my laptop. All off the National Express East Coast trains have free wifi, making it a very pleasant journey indeed.
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I'm hoping to get the kids comfortable with traveling on their own, and then it would be very easy for them to come home for a weekend instead off us traveling there. Unfortunately they have much better things to do than spend time with me. Charlotte has been at home for 3 weeks (suspended) so I didn't see her for dust once she got back to the school. As Chris's girlfriend was away for the weekend so he was happy to come out and spend a bit of time with me. I had the use of another parents house while she was away over the weekend, and that was way better than staying in a hotel or B & B. The time I get to spend with them goes so quickly, but I can see that for them it's not really quick enough. It makes me sad to see that way too soon, they'll be gone and it will be Christmas and birthdays only, and to make me question if I have done the right thing giving the bulk off their childhood over to Summerhill.
| Edited on: Fri, May 15, 2009 12:05Posted in Family (RSS), Summerhill (RSS), Travel (RSS)
Review of Pizza Hut, Boldon, Sunderland
Posted on Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 16:51 by Michelle
Just before the children went back to school, we had a night out at the
cinema, (Wednesday of course). As there are so many restaurant voucher
codes around we decided to make a night of it and go to Pizza Hut after
the movie. As there are 5 of us I made a reservation. We got to the
restaurant on time to be greeted by a very friendly manager who informed
us that they had been unusually busy, but had kept our table (nice of
them). But, he went on to say they had run out of every pizza base
except Italian. The kids said that would be OK, and I was having pasta.
So we sat, we waited quite a while to place our drinks order and then ordered the food. Two of the pasta dishes were off, they had ran out of prawns, mushrooms and chicken toppings. Some of this was relayed back to us after our order was placed. Anyhoo as we eat out so rarely we remained upbeat about it and enjoyed eating out together. When the starters arrived I was quite shocked at the size of the portions, they were tiny, their sharing plates were the size of side plates. I normally would not have thought too much about it, but Chris and I had just recently eaten in Pizza Hut in Leicester Square, if I was going to be ripped off anywhere I'd expect it more likely to be there. I commented to our server and was told they were the standard size but as I was unhappy she would take them from the bill.
The food when it came was no better than OK, Dave had meatballs, and as this is something we cook quite regularly at home, he was very disappointed in the quality.
The kids love to eat out, to them it feels like a real treat. For me, apart from not having to do the dishes, I'd much rather eat in and eat good quality, well prepared food, at a fraction of the cost.
Italian stalions would not drag me back into this Pizza Hut, and as they have a fair bit of competition up there, with a Frankie and Bennies, McD's and a pub serving food all in the same complex, I'm very surprised they can get away with such shoddy service.
| Edited on: Mon, Feb 02, 2009 16:52Posted in Eating Out (RSS), Family (RSS), Food (RSS), Frugal (RSS)
London on a budget
Posted on Tue, Jan 20, 2009 at 17:43 by Michelle
London is always very expensive, but as my children have gotten older it has become one of the few places we can go where everyone is happy.
I used to live in London so always feel comfortable there and usually know my way around. We traveled to London by train, and as I have a family and friends card and booked as soon as the dates went on sale the return journey was less than £50. I know there are lots of complaints from those who live in London, but as an infrequent visitor I love the public transport there and it puts my local public transport to shame. I keep an Oyster card on automatic top up so that I don't have to worry about fares for me, and kids are free (on buses) until they are 16, but the last time we went we were asked a few times for their cards. Now kids over 11 have a Zip card, that wasn't available to kids outside London when I had been before, it is now, but you have to apply 3 weeks before you go and I had not realised. However there is still a £1 daily travelcard available for kids (up to 4 children with 1 adult) which gets them on the buses and tubes and covers all zones. It is off peak so not to be used until after 9.30am. I'm not sure how the pricing of this works as the first day I was told it was £2 each as I don't have a travelcard on my Oyster but the next few days I was only asked for £1 each.
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Sorting out our accommodation is always my first priority. A few times I have managed to bag a room at The Hoxton when they have had their £1 specials and it is a lovely hotel. The bar is quite trendy (and expensive), but there is free wifi and some PC's for general use in the lobby. It is a short walk to Old Street tube and there is a fridge in the room where they put a pint of milk and a bottle of water which is a nice touch. The breakfast bag they leave is nothing to write home about, yogurt, banana and OJ, but when you've paid less than £60 for 3 nights, who's complaining. It's not really a family hotel, but a great place for a girly get away or romantic weekend.
The last twice we have been I have managed to get a family room from the Travelodge at £9 per night. This is a spectacular price when you consider that 4 of your can sleep comfortably in a family room. I've stayed in a few Travelodges in the capital and would give those near Kings Cross a wide birth simply because they are very dated and a bit grim inside the rooms. This time we were in the fairly new hotel on City Road. The train from Newcastle takes us to Kings Cross and the bus from there stops right outside the travelodge door. The rooms are clean and spacious, but if you do stay there, take ear plugs, there are some clubs nearby and of course some guests returning late at night. One of the great features of this hotel for those on a budget is their buffet breakfast. This is not haute cuisine, but eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, as well as toast cereal and muffins to help yourself to as much as you want, although already good value for money at £7.50 any children in the room eat free with a paying adult. To use my recent trip as an example 3 nights with an eat as much as you like breakfast every day for 4 people, (me and 3 kids) at a total cost of £49.50.
I did encourage the kids to eat heartily at breakfast and that really kept the price down. When we were wandering about during the day, a stop at Starbucks (or Tesco Express) late afternoon and we were fine until dinner. For dinner I printed off vouchers before we went. So we had lovely meals at Yo Sushi and Pizza Hut, as well as one costly, " lets walk into the next place we see" but very nice Indian. The Pizza Hut we went into was in Leicester Square, I'd normally not venture in to somewhere 'so touristy that it does not matter what the service is like' but the vouchers had to have a named shop on them, and I knew I'd be able to find that one. I was very pleasantly surprised, The service was quick the portions were generous and the staff were pleasant.
Getting around always takes up the majority of our time as I prefer the buses but can't work them out, but I did get to visit the Dr Who exhibit at Earls Court with Chris while the girls spent their Christmas money at Camden. We also had a great time in the Science Museum in the Launchpad area, I've been to the science museum before so think that bit must be pretty new, as I don't know how we can have missed it. There is something similar in Newcastle in the Discovery Museum, but my kids know that inside out. I'm very pleased that we went to Launchpad on a weekday when the schools were back in and when there were not a great deal of tourists in the city because it was still pretty hectic in there.
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Our highlight was the ice cream in a lovely Italian place called Ciao! just off Leicester Square, they have a gorgeous Eraclea which is a sort of hot chocolate custard. It's similar to chocolat and churros in Spain. The kids loved the ice creams and the staff were attentive and friendly. It became somewhere to drop into after a long and very cold day of walking and I sincerely hope it is still there the next time I visit.
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|Posted in Eating Out (RSS), Family (RSS), Food (RSS), Money Saving (RSS), Travel (RSS)
Guy Fawkes Night - Remember, Remember the 5th of November
Posted on Wed, Nov 05, 2008 at 17:49 by Michelle
I visited my mam this afternoon after helping her get her dog from the vets. As we arrived back at her house my niece (who is 15) was outside with a friend and a wheelbarrow. They were roaming the streets for any old wood, or rubbish that they could use to make a bonfire with tonight.
Although peripherally I knew it was today, as we weren't going to a display and have never bought fireworks it sort of slipped me by. I forgot how much it is still part of the culture here.
A few years ago I was in Florida over the 5th and was talking to an ex-pat and some of her friends, they had all heard of the celebration but were quite repulsed by the idea that we would throw an effigy of a person onto flames in celebration. It made me realise that it is a tradition that we take part in without consciously considering it's meaning. Of course, I was taught about the plot to overthrow the king in school and how marvellous it was that the plot was foiled. Thinking about it rationally, it does seem barbaric to throw an effigy of a person into a fire.
More recently I read the Frank
Skinner Autobiography
However, I do enjoy watching the fireworks and like traditions in general, but tonight I will be watching the gorgeous Daniel Craig in his portrayal as James Bond with my Orange Wednesday ticket.
| Edited on: Fri, Nov 21, 2008 10:56Pizza in Aldeburgh
Posted on Tue, Oct 21, 2008 at 12:03 by Michelle
This weekend was parents weekend when parents of children who attend Summerhill are allowed to see their kids, (It's not quite that strict, but almost). We had arranged to couchsurf another parent who has a house a few minutes walk from the school. This worked out very well, there were 3 sets of parents all in, and it was really lovely to feel homely with my kids, it's normally very difficult to think of things to do to fill in the time. When they were smaller we went to soft play, swimming pools and bowling, but now with petrol being so so expensive driving in to Ipswich works out really pricey, and there isn't a great deal to do locally, not that they want to go swimming any more and they are too old for soft play.
After picking them up we headed in Aldeburgh for something to eat. Chris will only eat outdoor reared meat, and I hoped we'd be able to find something but he ended up with a vege pizza from Prezzo I am sure a few other parents have mentioned this place and it was OK. I probably wouldn't go in again unless the kids asked to, it was a bit expensive for my pocket, the pizza's were nice, stone baked etc, I had the spinach with Chris and thought it bland, but we all loved the olives that came as an appetizer.
Aldeburgh is a quaint town on the the East Anglian coast. It is close
enough to London for the more affluent to have second homes there, which
shows in the boutique type shops that line the front street. It is a
very pretty town, although it's beach has nothing on South
Shields, the beach at Aldeburgh is a shingle beach, and unless you
like that crippled feeling, best not walked on in Crocs! After eating we
had a walk down to the sea and worked off some of the carbs. 
The seafront is lovely to walk along the houses are so prettily decorated, and this one has to be the smallest house I ever saw. I'm not even sure if it could be lived in. It looks as though there may be enough room for a sitting room and kitchen downstairs and bedroom and bathroom upstairs, but it would be squeeze. It looks only slighter larger than a beach hut.
Before leaving on the Sunday we went for a mooch around Snape Maltings, Dave and Chris had a hilarious game of guess the price in the shop, OMG that stuff was expensive. We went to the nearby Crown for lunch, which served their own home reared pigs. I was so pleased to be able to get Chris to eat some meat, umm that sounds so 'Jewish mother', it's not that I have any hang ups on what he eats, but he doesn't eat a 'good' vege diet and at his age I worry, tch, who am I kidding, there's always something to worry about. Anyway the pub was lovely, it looked as though it could fall down around you if someone sneezed hard, but they had Aspall's cider and a large and varied menu. We'll deinfintely eat there again. Looking it up for the blog, I can see it has received quite a few good review from travel and food writers, so if you're near it, or going to Snape Maltings, stop and have some supper.
|Posted in Eating Out (RSS), Family (RSS), Summerhill (RSS)
Babies and birthdays
Posted on Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 14:55 by Michelle
Yesterday was my eldest grandson's 5th birthday. His name is David (the
name David is the Life of Brian joke in our family) and he is so cute
and god only knows where these last 5 years went. I went along
to the soft play area to help his mum set up and keep an eye on the
kids. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did, watching the boys playing
and little Melissa wandering around in that "mm what's this" wonderment
at everything was truly amazing.
The worst part was a few minutes to the end, the kids were all tired and Harriette asked me to play some games to keep them occupied, trying to get a dozen 5 and 6 year olds to play musical statues and dead lions when they were tired and hyperactive from party food had me exhausted. The party finished at 7, and I hate to admit I was in bed by 8.30 and there's me wondering how come I never go clubbing anymore.
Congratualtions to Amalah whose blog I read avidly, we've all been patiently waiting for the birth and her gorgeous baby Ezra was born on the same day.
|South Shields
Posted on Sun, Sep 28, 2008 at 19:53 by Michelle
Quite by chance we ended up in South
Shields yesterday and how blessed I feel to have this beautiful
beach practically on my doorstep. I was actually on my way to one of my
favourite places in the world, Newbiggin
by the Sea, when I realised I did not have any money for the toll at Tyne
Tunnel, and as I was almost at the tunnel entrance, Shields was the
next best thing.
We got there and left my car next to the park which seems to be undergoing some redevelopment. There used to be a little train running around it, and I couldn't see that, but the play area was vastly improved and the boating lake was still there. We crossed the road and walked down to the beach past the skate park, which was getting plenty of use and the kids on bikes and skateboards were entertaining to watch. On we walked to the beach turning left towards the mounth of the Tyne and plodging along the shore to the jetty. We sat there for a while watching the small boats in the bay and the fishermen on the jetty, then headed back along the beach to the ampitheatre. It is a very impressive sea front and it was lovely to sea it being so well used on a glorious autumn afternoon.
There are a couple of bar/restaurants which are on the same side of the road as the beach, The Tavistock had a train carriage front and we checked out the menu, it looked like avery reasonable Italian, and somehwere to bear in mind for a special ocassion. Further along there was The Sandancer pub/restaurant, Sandancer is the name given to people from South Shields and with all that golden sand to dance on, who can blame them?
There are marquees being set up in preparation for next weeks Great
North Run which ends at shields. It's unlikely I'll be anywhere in the
vicinity next weekend when that is on, but if you happen to see it on
the TV try to get a glmpse of the amazing place it ends.
Start of Term
Posted on Sat, Sep 20, 2008 at 19:06 by Michelle
The kids have gone back to school. It is a two day trip to take them back. The journey there was about 6.5 hours. I took them into school made up their beds and unpacked Chris's stuff into his cupboard. I spoke briefly with the houseparents and then went and met with some other parents for a quick drink and to moan about how my kids love Summerhill more than home.
I gave one of the other parents a lift back to the school, so got to see Chris again before leaving for the evening. He was weaving about on his ripstick and having a great time. "How is it," I asked, "great mum, I'm so pleased to be back". "Have a safe journey, I'll see you at parents weekend". I tried to call him the next day but his phone is turned off. I did speak to Charlotte who was on her way downtown to have lunch with a friend. "I miss you already" I said. She laughed "I can tell".
I had a long journey back with lots of diversions because of roadworks, and feeling bereft that my kids are gone for 11 weeks. When I arrive back home the house is quiet, it's quiet everywhere, but I find it difficult to settle. So I make dinner but there's no one to call to the table and to hear there chatter and jokes.
On Monday I go back to college, my routine will fall into place and over the next couple of weeks I'll miss them less, and, can you believe I'll be exasperated when they call me and I'm in the middle of doing something else.
|Posted in Family (RSS), Summerhill (RSS)
Blueberry Muffins
Posted on Sun, Sep 07, 2008 at 8:23 by Michelle
My neighbours very kindly give us tickets to the theatre that they couldn’t use. It was a Horrible History production of the Vile Victorians and my 12 year old loved it.
To thank them I made up some cakes. I usually make cakes as presents as I think it says thank you without going over the top. They cost pennies to make, but a lot of thought and time go into them.
I made these Blueberry Muffins. It was an English recipe, so easier to follow than American I doubled the quantities to make 12 and changed the plain flour to my substitute of cake flour.
I don’t know where to buy cake flour in the UK, (I’m going to have a look in Makro). To make my own for every 135g of flour I remove 2 tablespoons and replace with 2 tablespoons cornflour then sieve.
Blueberry and White Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients:
- 300g cake flour
- 100g sugar (golden caster), I didn’t have so used granulated
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 150g blueberries
- 150g white chocolate, chopped into chunks
- 2 beaten eggs
- 100g butter, melted and cooled
- 200ml milk
Heat the oven to 200C / 180C Fan / Gas 6.
Put paper cases into a 12 hole deep muffin tin.
Mix the dry ingredients together.
Add the blueberries and chocolate and coat well with the dry ingredients. This stops the blueberries sinking.
Combine the wet ingredients.
Add the wet to the dry and quickly incorporate.
DO NOT overmix or beat, it should be lumpy. As soon as the ingredients
are incorporated divide into your tin.
I use a 1/3 cup measure to spoon them out but an ice cream server also works.
Cook for 25 mins on the middle shelf and turn half way. (check after 20 mins).
When a toothpick/skewer or bona fide cake tester comes out clean they’re done.
Leave in the tins for 5 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
These weren't sweet enough for me, and as I often reduce the sugar in a recipe I can only think i forgot to double that quantity when I made them, only putting 50g instead of 100g. They are very filling.
|Posted in Family (RSS), Recipes (RSS)
Work Vs Uni
Posted on Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 8:47 by Michelle
I have confirmed my acceptance at university, and start my course in a couple of weeks.…
This was with no little trepidation, and I'm still not sure it’s the right move, because
• I feel old to be going back to college.
• I've just returned to the workplace and I love working in an office.
• I'm really enjoying having an income.
• I work 3 miles from home, uni is about 10!
The course is podiatry and I'm pretty excited about becoming a podiatrist and being able to help people with feet problems. Although I've always enjoyed being in a caring profession, caring for others feet as a profession is not as altruistic as it seems. I'm a picker, when my kids were babies, little made me happier than cleaning out their belly buttons and ears or getting at them with a cotton bud or pair of tweezers. I reckon that working as a podiatrist will fulfill that picker in me, I’ll be able to cut, tweeze, clean and swab to my hearts content.
Currently I'm temping, covering for maternity leave, I may well have been asked to stay on here. If not I would have a good reference to move on to somewhere else with.
But the snob in me very much likes the idea of having a degree, and the hippy in me is looking forward to hanging around and the school library in jeans and discussing things of import in the podiatry world, and the lazy cow in me is thrilled at the prospect of those long university holidays...
|OMG - I got a JOB!
Posted on Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 12:02 by Michelle
I’ve not been able to commit myself to much writing lately, because 3 weeks ago I GOT A JOB. I wasn’t sure I wanted a job and now I’m doing it I’m even less so. But… The people I work with are OK, and I could do the job standing on my head.
It does fill my time though and I work 30 hours when 16 would have been enough. I managed to make cake at the weekend so that we had a treat in our lunch boxes. Luckily Dave is a great help, and makes our lunch (bait) every day. Now that I work outside of the house. I have to make some effort to look presentable and I find that takes me most of the morning, besides which most of my new income is spent on clothes, (as I lived in jeans and T’s for years) and make up. What a treat it is to buy lovely make up.
I’m trying to maintain my frugal lifestyle and getting word of mouth recommendations for make up etc, and all of the clothes I have bought for work have been from ebay. I am strictly sticking to my packed lunch every day even though I can smell lovely bacon sarnies from the sandwich van which is parked right outside out building. It takes me about 7 minutes to drive to work, but a couple of days last week I got DH to drop me off in the mornings and I walked home. It is a really pleasant walk, by the map it is about 3 miles, but I can’t find sat nav (GPS) for walking and find it impossible to read a map, so I went round the houses a bit and it took me 90 minutes to get home.
I would have walked today but I went to the boot sale yesterday. The temperature was 21oC, and although I put SPF 15 on, and was only out for 2 hours, I managed to get seriously sunburnt. So today I feel all stiff and brought the car.
I have Friday off this week, ‘cos I’m going to visit my 2 youngest in their boarding school, for the weekend we get to camp and hang out with our kids, I always find it a really relaxed, chill out time and looking forward to it very much.
|Life and Miracle Fruit
Posted on Wed, May 07, 2008 at 8:52 by Michelle
We got our tickets to Glastonbury festival . This has been a major event for the past 4 years. This year I didn’t want to go. We got the tickets just in case but it was really miserable last year, and I have canceled mine. Dave is going to go with Chris. Although should it look like it may not rain I may well be trying to get tickets last minute. Apart from last year there being pretty miserable. It does not work out at a good time for us this year. Visiting the children is 2 weeks before; normally we’d visit with them for the weekend then drive on down to Somerset on the Monday, spending a couple of days camping and get into the festival on the Wednesday. This year we have to visit with them for a weekend, come home and spend the next weekend here then drive back down to Suffolk to pick them up and then on over to Somerset. Apart from which Katie who has just finished her mocks has a proper exam when we would be away.
So I’m looking forward to a girly week just her and I and lots of Ben and Jerry’s. Yes I am very fat already and really should not even think about Ben and Jerry’s let alone eat it. I am absolved though because of 2 things.
1. I have bought Wii Fit - and yes I have done it, quite a few times actually….
2. I have bought some Magic Berries - now this little miracle fruit as it is known, is going to save me from myself.
I had great hopes for these little berries. I could see how it would mean I wouldn’t have to add sugar to anything and I would ‘get thin’, but it gets washed away with hot food, so my coffee still has to have a little sugar, and when I suggested we all chewed a bit of this so we could eat rhubarb crumble without sugar, the rest of my family looked at me in disbelief. Just because I want to put all my faith in a magic little berry does not mean they will follow me. I know this from previous run-ins with my previous occasional obsessions of ‘truly wonderful ideas that will work’. These wonderful ideas are not limited to dieting. When I hit on a good idea it overtakes me and for weeks I can think of nothing else. At the moment my magic berries are hitting the spot, but running concurrently but a little under the surface at the moment is a love and demand for all things kenwood chefy. I know I need a chef. It would look so great in my kitchen. It would do all of those mundane tasks I hate and everyone on the MSE old style board has one, loves it, and uses it daily. I am mostly old style. I cook a lot, I eat even more I know I would benefit from a kenwood chef. I got an old one from a kind freecycler and it is stood in pride of place in my kitchen, unfortunately it does not work so well. The attachments work, the liquidiser, mincer, and slow speed chopper (don’t those words make you drool in anticipation), but the actual turny thing, the bit that would make perfect cakes and bread dough, that does not work. It will not turn. Dave took it apart straight away of course, he’s an ‘engineer’ but alas he thinks the gears are broken. This leaves me in somewhat of a conundrum. I have to search ebay twice a day for the answer. Do I buy the gears and fix the old machine. Look for another old one, or horror of horrors Dave thinks I should buy a new one. He obviously has no idea on the amount of research that went into this kitchen necessity and those in the know. (The regulars on the kenwood chef thread on MSE), their collective wisdom is that old is better than new. So while I dream about A701/A901, I know that he too is caught up in his own little obsession. As a family of geeks what more perfect present for my love than an Ipod Touch. It was his birthday a few days ago, and I believe he has had that touch in his hand more than his (err other favourite thing) since then. Not only has he filled it with stuff and moved stuff around and completely frustrated himself in his attempts to get his email on it. I’m sure he is stroking it when I’m not looking. On a positive note it seems to be the best birthday present he ever got, which makes me a perfect wife for this week anyway…
|Goal Setting
Posted on Fri, Mar 21, 2008 at 8:37 by Michelle
Goal setting, I decided on this topic because my wonderful son asked me what had I wanted to do when I was a child. I remember vividly that I wanted to be American. I expect I was swayed by the wonderful lives I saw that American kids had via our TV. Huge, plush bedrooms with walk-in closets, school with no uniform you could chew gum and play baseball. It was a magical place, and it wasn’t that I was growing up in poverty or destitution or in a developing country. I lived in the UK.
Now of course I see that it was idealistic but when my son asked me and after thinking for a while I responded. “As a kid I wanted to be American”, it is probably no wonder that the states feels like my spiritual home. I’ve been lucky enough to spend extended visits in Florida, and I never want to come home. When I do get back to the UK I yearn to be back in the states. When I visit, my homecoming starts when I step off the plane, that first interaction with the burly security guards, who call me “ma’am” how nice is that, how polite it sounds. Obviously I didn’t know what to expect on my first visit, but it surpassed my imagination. The vastness of it, no wonder there are walk in closets there is so much room everywhere. This is particularly noticeable on the roads, they are so big, the difference was highlighted on the movie “The Holiday” although not all of our roads are as tight as the one Cameron Diaz was filmed in, they are not unusual either. I love to drive in America. I drive an automatic at home, so I’m comfortable with that, but the idea that I could get on a road and drive for 10 hours and not see the sea, that I could drive for 20 hours and still be in the same country, that is spectacular to me.
My ambition as I got older (and still) is to do a road trip in the states, to spend 6 months driving around and meeting people in the different states, finding out about their lives. When this dream first started it was going to be motel to motel, then I thought I’d rent a motor home, but now I know I’d do it by couchsurfing and visit with people on my way, because for me, it’s much more about the people than the place.
|Posted in Family (RSS), Travel (RSS)
Family Easter
Posted on Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 10:36 by Michelle
Dinner
Posted on Thu, Mar 06, 2008 at 14:38 by Michelle
Usually I can just get on with dinner. I enjoy making the food for the family, and this week has been the easiest for a long time. For the last few months in accordance with my frugal ways I’ve made a monthly meal plan, and for the most part that has worked out. I work much better with lists and my life feels ordered if I know what we are having for dinner tonight and tomorrow night and next Thursday night. With the exception of a few items very little has been repeated over the last 2 months. We have similar themes: curry, fish, pasta, rice and something and soup night. This week has been better than others I have planned, and I can only assume that is because I haven’t stuck to the plan at all. I feel safe with the list, and always know I can cook what’s on it, but feel much more relaxed making what comes to hand. So for instance tonight was supposed to be sausage plait. Well, I bought sausage meat from my butcher last week and made some sausage rolls for packed lunches, and although they were nice I was fed up of sausage and didn’t buy any at the butchers this week. What I did get was 2lbs of beef mince.
That was on Monday. and everyday I’ve thought, we’ll have that mince tonight. I have been going to make burgers with it all week, but last night decided instead we’d have a mince curry made with it. Dave took me out to the post office when he got in from work. I had a quick skate around the supermarket for eggs, and saw some reduced organic turkey. So we had turkey curry instead.
Tonight we are going to have the burgers, I’ve bought buns, and we have to because the mince won’t last any longer. Normally I’d have had the burgers made and in the fridge ready to be cooked when everyone is home this evening. But, I’m putting it off, I know I am procrastinating on it, but not sure why. There is no way I will waste the meat, so it is going to be cooked, and I just have to get on with it. Zen Habits is great for help with procrastination, and reading from there I’ve learnt that it’s no good trying to rationalise or convince. I just have to do it, not think about just get on with it.
Therefore, I just have to finish this blog, um, better check my email, and er, sure there’s a program I want to catch up on, but then absolutely nothing will stop me making those yummy burgers.
|Stale Muffin
Posted on Wed, Mar 05, 2008 at 11:36 by Michelle
Hard topped muffin for breakfast.
Not for everyone of course, Kate has fruit, Chris cereal, and Dave crumpets. I could have had any of those, but there was one stale shop bought muffin left, and even though it was made with eggs which aren’t free range, (bought by Dave of course) wasting food seems like a bigger crime. It sat on the end of the bench where things are relegated before the bin, and I had my eye on it as I went to and fro through the kitchen. First time was for my wake up coffee, and at that time I wouldn’t have cared if it had been put in the bin. Next was when I made the lunches, and even considered throwing it into Katie’s pack up, she wouldn’t mind, she’d be pleased to have something shop bought and full of sugar, but my parenting guilt kicked in and she had a pear instead. My final and fatal trip was for my 2nd (and last) coffee, which I can sit quietly in front of the PC with, as they’ve headed out to school and work. While making this regular morning treat, I am cleaning away the results of the packed lunches and wiping down the benches. Last chance for the muffin, if it wasn’t eaten then it would go into the bin.
Of course before my blogging, eating that muffin would not have had this level of scrutiny, but it’s crumpled, tired wrapper is next to me as I type, and has me wondering why I ate it. Waste of course is one of the options, but the possibly, more realistic reasons, are greed and laziness.
I have always been greedy, only the last year or so, since turning 40 does it seem to be abating. I always had a passion and hunger for life itself, but that too seems to be abating.
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