Hug an Australian Day!

I'd pretty much given up on this one and had put it to the back of my tiny mnd - until someone in Charlie's (Ollie) told Matt he looked like an Australian butcher (I'm not entirely sure where he got that from, Matt was wearing an apron and a cowboy hat but there you go!)!.

I haven't moved so fast in a while, poor Matt looked quite terrified when I launched myself at him to give him a hug in the absence of a real Australian  - no mean feat given that he's rather an intimidating size.  The fact that Ollie jumped on the bandwagon and followed suit shortly after was a bonus (for me if not for Matt) - meanwhile John and Simon were doing their best to particpate...I'm not convinced that hugging pints of Fosters qualifies but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.  I'm good like that.

Most Fabulous Thing This Week!

See previous post.

Most Silly Thing This Week!

I couldn't possibly comment on this one for fear of incriminating myself!

Guilt Free Pottering Day!

Usually I struggle with the whole 'guilt free' part of this day, however, I was a little too tired to feel guilty about it this time!

Staying in bed until almost lunchtime went some way to compensate for a very late night/early morning on Saturday (I may not have achieved staying OUT till the sun came up again but I managed staying UP!) but even so I suspect that had I been inclined to attempt anything even vaguely non-pottering I may have struggled.

Pottering down to Charlie's to watch the Grand Prix was taxing enough, staying on to watch the football (a game which I strangely enjoyed) was testament to my determination to potter rather than go home to feel guilty about all the things I should have been doing instead!

The remainder of the day was spent pottering on the sofa watching films before an early night :-)

Pet Owners Independence Day!

Yep, this is a real day.

Apparently pet owners take the day off from work and the pets go to work in their place, since most pets are jobless, sleep all day and do nothing to contribute towards their upkeep. Owners get to stay home all day and lie around on the back of the sofa. 

Jemima was clearly not impressed with this idea and Rosie just looked terrified at the prospect.





























I suggested in the office that maybe we ought to observe this day in practice in future but, after much discussion, it was decided that Andy's rat, pigeons and doves, my 2 cats, John's goat and chickens and Neil's dog would, probably, cause a little too much more chaos and destruction than even we're capable of.

Also, I'm not entirely sure I'd be comfortable trying to stretch out on the back of my sofa.

And this is what happened the last time I turfed them outside to go and find a living.

Splash About Day!

Not quite sure this was what was in mind for this day (it certainly wasn't what was in my mind - I was picturing white sandy beaches, clear blue, warm gentle waves...).

I seem to have become addicted to my bath - largely because I take my book and distract myself from the fact that I really want to stuff my face with carb loaded comfort food!  So, a minimum of an hour in the bath each night has become ritual, this evening though has to be the last as I dread to think what my water bill will be like!

There's certainly more room to splash about now that there's less of me!

Blah, Blah, Blah Day!

The day for doing the stuff people (and yourself) have been telling (nagging) you to do!

I finally finishing going through the films on my hard drive and deleting all those I've watched and don't want to keep and made good headway on the books, while I was doing all of this I was also listening to my Itunes and deleting anything on there that I don't want to keep.  I resolved to spend a bit of time each evening doing the same - but then I've resolved to do this before!

Then I planned all the crafty stuff I want to get done over the rest of the year - yeah, that'll never happen to schedule either, I was supposed to start the Christmas stockings a couple of months ago!

I am my own worst nagger (despite the fact that I'm supposed to be going easy on myself this month!)...

Blah.

Blah.

Blah.

The Surrogate!

When I was little I used to think that my real mum had been taken by aliens and replaced with a surrogate.

Yesterday I felt the same way about myself...

I ironed.

For almost an hour.

National Jazz Month!

Woo Hoo!

I would have liked to have gone to the Harrogate Brasserie or the Blue's Bar for some live musical magic for this one but I'm not sure my willpower could resist the food and alcohol so instead Mr Webb came over and we celebrated National Jazz Month by watching Ray - unfortunately the audio wouldn't work on the accompanying tribute concert dvd which came with the film :-(

Saw Dan Burnett live at Charlie's a couple of weeks ago (ok, technically it was last month (just)...would highly recommend!



One of my favourite artists/songs...



And it doesn't get much better than this...

Gaze at Clouds Day!

In the words of intrepid time traveller Sam Beckett (yes, I'm well underway with my Quantum Leap viewing)...

Oh boy.

I didn't just gaze at them, I gazed through them! 

I set off all the alarms on depature from Leeds Bradford and had to be 'wanded' - I still set off all the alarms so I had to be body searched (NOT strip searched) during which I was asked whether I had any studs or other piercings in certain places - turns out my trouser fastening and the metal part of a certain item of women's underwear were causing unusual sensitivity in my case!  On the plus side, I left feeling like I'd had a light-touch all over massage.

Bearing in mind that I haven't been on a plane in 10 years I was more than a little nervous on take off - I'd obviously forgotten how absolutely beautiful it is up there.  I could have happily stayed up there gazing at the clouds for hours rather than the 45 minutes it took to get to Southampton.

And I enjoyed it every bit as much on the way back (also less nervous at take off) - managed to get myself through security with no issues this time.  Myself yes...my handbag no.  I don't understand why this happens to me!  Anyway, after having my bag examined and tested for who knows what we eventually made our way through to the departure lounge - I'm convinced that Neil (who breezed through both) now sees me as some sort of travel liability.  Let's face it, anyone who's ever had the 'opportunity' to travel with me knows that this is often indeed the case in some form or another!

Anyway, it brought to mind the opening credits of Quantum Leap (the cloud bit obviously - about 0.51 in this clip).



I suspect it'll be a long time before I do 'Gaze at Clouds Day' in such a great way again!

Superhero Day!

This is not a Superhero Day of the kind we've come to know and love (my costume remained firmly packed away)...

Hancock references in the early hours of the morning aside - today I exhibited superhuman strength and willpower in the battle not to do what every cell in my body told me I wanted to do (which would have more than likely resulted in some destruction and possibly injury!) .

In fact, despite literally seeing red (I never actually believed that was possible) and contained with a rage so colossal that I could feel every vein in my head strain and throb and my blood boil, I used superhuman effort to swallow it down and effect (eventually) a calmer exterior.

And at the end I'm left feeling curiously drained, is this normal for Superheroes?  Does Superman feel the need to just have a hot bath and go bed once he's hung his cape up?  Does Batman want to tell Robin to just go away and leave him alone for a while? Does Wonderwoman ever leave the house, wonder where she left the god-damned invisible helicopter, turn around and go back inside and give it up as a bad job?

Abject apathy has become my superhero power, loss of hope that anything will change has become my shield, and my new found I-don't-give-a-flying-rats-arse (yes, that should have been the f word) attitude (which will probably go away at some point) will ensure that I blend in perfectly with my current surroundings.

Meanwhile back where some sanity remains...

Russian Skywalkers
Ukranian Daredevils (and his name's Mustang Wanted - a Superhero name if ever I heard one!)

Think About Lovely Things Day!

Lovely things I thought about today

• Food
• More food
• Having Friday off work and catching up with Webby
• Seeing Kevin and Ray in a little over a week
• Booking some crime festival tickets
• Seeing Pops and Olive in a couple of weeks
• Going to see the new Star Trek film
• Planning a few days away in summer visiting Tom and Marley and then spending some quality time with Nads
• (and then more food)

No Housework Day!

I had no intention of doing any housework at all today.

I've no idea how, but this is what happened...

1) 2 loads of washing done
2) All coats, bags, hats etc in hallway sorted out
3) All shoes upstairs sorted, shoe rack (and shoes) brought downstairs
4) Bagged up clothing sorted and put away, clothing I've shrunk out of bagged up to get rid of
5) Dishes done
6) Freezer cleaned

Great Outdoors Day!

Yep, saw lots of it whizzing by on the train to Birmingham, some more on the train to Coventry and more still from the taxi to Ryton!

And then again all the way back to Harrogate.

Didn't actually experience any though - other than the brief transfers between transportations.

Great Outdoors Day From the Inside?

Get an Early Night Day (you old fox you!)!

Hahaha!

If only!

I did get an early night but there was nothing foxy (or otherwise animal related) about it!

The fact that getting to Ryton by public transport is such a ballache (and involves spending more time on trains than I'll be spending in the meeting I'm going for) means I'm up at 5.30 today so it was an early night last night - by necessity more than choice.

Thinking of animals though...thank you Simon for this photo which really cheered me up when I got home last night!

April Me-ness Mantra!

Sooooo

I'm to repeat (and often)

"I am amazing"
"I am wonderful"
"I am brilliant"

April is going to be the best month yet!

I'm to be kind to myself each and every single day and not waste a moment worrying (it's ok to waste them messing about or eating cheese instead though)

But I definitely won't worry. Especially about things I can't change.

Instead...

I will be focusing on today...NOW...this minute and make the very most of it.

I will be turning off the TV (which I never have on anyway!), getting outside, getting creative and getting more me than I've ever been before!

March Lucky Mantra - the results

Oh. Dear.

So much for the March Lucky Mantra!

Due to circumstances waaaay beyond my control it most definitely has not been a month of tantalizingly slighty-warmer-but-too-soon-for-shorts weather and as a result I have not been getting ready for leaping, bouncing and general springyness!

I haven't been lucky all month, I've been ill all month (although I suppose it's lucky that I've found the patch of black mold behind my bed which may well account for my month of illness!). I did dance (Olive's Ceilidh) but I wouldn't say with Serendipity - grace and co-ordination were also sadly absent.  I have dined once, way back at the beginning of the month but it's fast becoming a distant memory (along with the act of chewing) and it wasn't with Good Fortune.

It's difficult to inject colour when you feel slightly paler than death warmed up and, as for impossibly fashionable shoes...I don't think snow boots count!

March, however, was a mountaintop of a month - a mountain of snow (and snot).

Eat Loads of Chocolate Day!

I had hot chocolate for breakfast - whilst watching The Slipper and the Rose (my guilty secret favourite film!) which was always traditional Easter viewing as a child, right after the cartoon version of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe!







Then it was chocolate velvet milkshake for lunch - whilst watching Stand by Me

And then I finshed with a chocolate coated toffeee bar for dinner (somewhere between a finger of fudge and a curly wurly but not quite right at the same time) - whilst watching a biblical epic, I had a few to choose from but went for King of Kings (there's just something about that music!).

Be Inspired Day!

So I've started watching daily TED talks, most of them have no relevance to me whatsoever - or the content is so technical that I just switch off.  However, I've seen 3 so far which I've found absolutely riveting, have inspired me to scrape together a few extra pennies for a worthwhile cause (2 of which will become regular when my finances are sorted) and have restored my faith in humankind.

Kakenya Ntaiya - A girl who demanded school
(further info here - Kakenya's Dream)



Ron Finley - A guerilla gardener in South Central LA
(further info here - L.A. Green Grounds)



William Kamkwamba - How I harnessed the wind
(further info here - Moving Windmills Project)

Ponder the Universe Day!

I haven't done much in the way of pondering the universe today - pondering a day in my life is challenging enough thank you very much!

I did do a bit of research though...

There's a blog called Ponder the Universe which I have to admit does contain some awesome pictures of the Cosmos (I ignored the writing bits).

On YouTube there's a channel called Ponder the Universe, this seems to consist of aerial filming from the wing of a Cessna and a clip of a ZZ Top Concert - go figure?!

Then there's Punchline by Nick Courtright which is allegedley "Poetry To Ponder the Universe To"

"By turns elliptical and aphoristic, macrocosmic and microcosmic, timeless and contemporary, PUNCHLINE is not a book of poems for those who merely want to be diverted or amused; this work is for readers who consider poetry the natural sibling of philosophy. Nick Courtright's finely-distilled poems mine the frustrating unknowableness of the world, and celebrate its exhilarating mystery with elegance, compassion, and imagination."—Nicky Beer
 

Please...divert or amuse me.

Ok, this is quite cool...The Scale of The Universe (move the slider along the bottom/and or click on the images to go deeper and deeper in)

And this is the answer which Neil deGrasse Tyson (astrophysicist) gave when asked what he felt was the most astounding fact (I also really like this)




I've just remembered that 2 years ago when pondering the universe I told you about the soon to be released remake of Masters of the Universe, I thought I'd check progress and apparently it's still in progress...

And finally...

More YouTube results for Ponder the Universe...enjoy!








(This was supposed to be a short post, turns out there was more to ponder than I thought!)

Quirky Country Song Title Day!

 

And here are some of the best ....

"Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart" -- Johnny Cash

"You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd" -- Roger Miller

"I’d Like to Check You For Ticks" -- Brad Paisley

"It's Hard To Kiss The Lips At Night That Chew Your A-- Out All Day Long" -- Vince Gill as well as The Notorious Cherry Bombs

"Drop Kick Me Jesus Through The Goalposts Of Life" -- Bobby Bare

And from my own extensive country music play list...

"Did I shave my legs for this?" -- Deanna Carter (and frequently Heidi Orange)

"Tequila makes her clothes fall off" -- Joe Nichols (and ...no, never mind)

And then there's this very clever little ditty which made me laugh out loud the first time I heard it...



Along with this one which turned out to not be at all what I expected - the first verse made me want to stick my fingers down my throat, then I heard the chorus (I can sooo relate to this!)!



And this tongue in cheek song by Rascal Flatts..

Most Important Thing This Week!

Hmmm, it could be Aunty Betty's birthday on Monday or the workshop in Ryton on Tuesday, or could it be that the clocks go forward on Sunday?

Nope, I think it's that it's a 4.5 day weekend this weekend - yay!!  It'd be even more important if I were partaking in some Easter fun with Kevin and Ray and then eating chocolate whilst watching biblical epics...but, seeing Dan Burnett perform at Charlie's on Saturday and avoiding chocolate whilst I count all the giftboxes in the spare room ready for ebay is all the 'important' I can stand at the moment.

The fact that it's Easter weekend must also mean it's around a year since my epic attempt (and success) to stay out late!

Climb a Tree Day!

Hahahaha!  Are you joking?!

Climbing the pavement (sober) is challenging enough in all this snow etc at the moment!

I'm taking the executive decision to move this one, tree climbing should be done in summer anyway - it's like, some sort of law or something.

How's this for an awesome treehouse though - I'd attempt a wintry climb up a tree if there was the promise of snuggling up with a good book, a blanket and a hot drink in that comfy looking chair in the corner!

Lips Appreciation Day!

This was actually March 16th but I've moved all the days around (because I can!) and lost track of which ones are actual real 'days' and which ones aren't!

My lips have been very sore and dry these last few days, I think excessive exposure to steam and then throwing in sporadic exposure to artic conditions on top of that doesn't seem to have done them any good at all - thank god for aloe vera Vaseline lip therapy!

I also thought my lips had actually turned blue today but I think it was just a trick of the light.

Things I learnt today;

• You should never lick your lips (as saliva dries on your lip it evaporates and takes more moisture from your lips. Also, the enzymes in saliva eat away at the lips, leaving the skin thinner and more prone to cracking.)
• Sparkling water is actually amazing stuff
• Jochen Rindt is the only driver to posthumously win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship (in 1970), after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix

As Young as You Feel Day!

Haha!  About 106 then!

Today will be spent alternating between being in the shower, having my head over a bowl of steaming water, gargling with salt water and being in the bath, all in an effort to try and force this bug out of me once and for all!  Four colds/infections/whatever in the last 3 months is just ridiculous and I've had enough now - I suspect it's probably all the same thing and it's just that I'm never entirely kicking it each time so it just lingers around waiting to raise it's ugly head again.  Well, I have news for it - it can just GO DO ONE!

So, I'm going to take it easy for the next few weeks, work from home as often as possible, avoid any late night socialising or rendezvousing with people who are inflicted/still recovering from similar ailments!

It makes me wonder though how Aunty Betty (despite allegedly being "naffered" all the time) manages to stay in remarkable health given that she smokes like a chimney, has no heating and, literally, lives in an ice-box - I've never, ever known her to have a cold!  But this day did make me think of her - it's her birthday on Monday and, according to the family tree stuff I looked into a while ago, she should be 80.  According to Betty though when I listened to her last night (I never do any of the talking) it's her 81st birthday on Monday so who knows!

Also reminded me of a Garth Brooks song...

On reflection perhaps the punked up version by Me First and The Gimme Gimmes is more to your taste (be patient, it kicks in after the first verse)...

DVD Marathon Day!

You can't have enough of these days during the year - they also work very well when combined with Duvet Day!

I needed some feel good, cheery films so went for;

Mamma Mia
Chocolat

And then for some reason went in the totally opposite direction and watched;

A Mighty Heart (good film but most definitely not at all feel good or cheery)

So then I thought it'd be a good idea to go back to feel good and cheery and watched;

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The Full Monty

Broccoli and Peas Appreciation Day!

Not a pea or broccoli earring in sight!

I would have LOVED to have appreciated some broccoli and/or peas but the current detox/diet means I can't - the only vegetable I'm allowed to appreciate at the moment is man and they appear to be out of season at the moment.

Instead I'll just include links to previous Broccoli Appreciation Days - I don't know what the humble pea did this year to wangle its way into the celebrations this year (and I'm wondering whether there'll be another addition next year)!

Broccoli Appreciation Day 2010 (in my opinion the best one - largely because I somehow persuaded my colleagues to pose with broccoli!)

Broccoli Appreciation Day 2011 (the christmas tree masquerading as broccoli was quite amusing and my broccoli earrings looked quite impressive)

I'm struggling to find a posting for last year but I suspect I may have substituted it for Pavlova Appreciation Day 2012 (a much more worthwhile pursuit in my opinion - no offence broccoli or peas)

Old School Day!

I thought I'd list my old schools for this one!


Coppice Valley Primary School

Starbeck Primary School

King James's Secondary School

 

Most Busy Thing Last Week!

That would be me then :-)

Monday was preparing for Tuesday and Saturday (and yes, I did also manage to get a couple of posts ready!).

Tuesday Boss was here and the whole team was together for the first time so we celebrated by going out to Vivido's.

Wednesday Webby visited - it's taken him this long to get over the jelly incident and work up the courage to come back!

Thursday was my detox and diet initial consultation which went very well although the evening ended terribly when my friend's dog was hit by a car and died (and the driver didn't even stop).

Friday I shopped (window shopped) and indulged in Pizza Express before a very enjoyable couple of beers in The Blues Bar with live entertainment - and I don't mean music!  The patrons were taking part in a challenge to see who could walk the furthest (from a chalk line) on their hands using beer bottles as 'stilts', they had to leave one bottle as far away as they could and make it back again with only the remaining bottle - all without touching the floor at all!  If I had any upper body strength at all I'd have given it a go although I'm sure I wouldn't have made a dint in some of the very impressive attempts!

Saturday was Olive's retirement Ceilidh with The Macaroon Ceilidh Band which was absolutely fantastic - I had some reservations but Bernie and I ended up getting up and dancing in a surprisingly short space of time and after that I was rarely off the dance floor either with Pops or with Bernie. I can honestly say that I haven't laughed like that in probably years - I laughed til it hurt and still couldn't stop!

Bernie has recorded some of this and I took some photos on Pops phone which I'm hoping he'll send me (I took my camera to theirs but forgot to take it to the 'do'!), will put it on here (depending on how bad it is!) if she ever sends me it but here's an example in the meantime...



Sunday was getting stuff ready for work once I got home again ready for a much quiter week!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland!

3 months late but there you go!

My walk to work this morning...

It was chaos on the roads as they hadn't been gritted and during the 15 minutes of my walk which is roadside I saw 3 gritters zooming round the Yew Tree Lane roundabout area!

 

The next 2 were at eye level, the weight of the snow had forced everything down in to the path!

National Bed Month!

Ahem.

This could have gone one of two ways - in the interest of parental guidance guidelines I opted for this one...

Organised by The Sleep Council, the month aims to remind us all of why a sound sleep is good for our health.

You can put own bed through an MOT at the site and find out if changing your bed could lead to better sleep!

There are also lots of tips on how you can improve your night time regime (and you can send off for leaflets) and get more shut eye - I've learnt that I really should get up for 20 minutes when I can't sleep instead of just lying there making it worse!

So lie back, relax, and have much more than forty winks this National Bed Month!

Snuggle Up Day!

Do you know I was once actually accused of making up the word snuggle - it's no wonder that relationship ended soon after ;-)

Just in case there's any doubt/confusion...

WikiHow have actually issued instructions on How to Snuggle.

And I may have found a new career...Professional Snuggler.

I also came across these bizarre looking things called Cuddle Ups.  Is it just me or do they all look more than a little inebriated? (the Cuddle Ups not the children obviously), in fact a couple of them actually look quite familar...

Panic Day!

Hahahaha - I was wondering when to do this one (technically it should have been 9th March - yes, that's right, it's actually a real day (in USA) and takes place straight after 'Be Nasty Day') and it's just occured to me that today could be panic day!

Purely because I've got so much on this week (nothing blog related - although I suspect I may write about the Ceilidh on Saturday) that I was just panicking about when (and what) I'd write on here!!  In fact there's so much going on that I've packed for Saturday tonight (Monday).

I've got a few 'days' to write about but no time to write them and, until today, I was still playing catch up from February (and my continuing excessive use of the exclamation point has made me realise that I still haven't got around to changing the font on here (sorry Bernie!))!

So, forgive me if I disappear for a few days - I'd like to reassure you that I haven't fallen under a bus or come down with some bizarre and little known mysterious illness but that's the kind of promise I'm afraid I just can't make!

Things I've learned today...

• Finger millet flour biscuits are not nice
• There's no way to make 96 working hours look like 48
• An opera script is called a Libretto

International Do Nothing Day!

Ray is always so chuffed to find that his birthday falls on International Do Nothing Day - Kevin's less chuffed.

Unfortunately this was a work day so I couldn't do nothing all day - you'll be pleased to hear though that I did nothing once I got home from work, I did nothing so much that I even went to bed at 7.30!

Most Exciting Thing Last Week!

Well I couldn't possibly tell you the most exciting thing this week - a girl's got to have some secrets!

And last week...

• I was excited for Anna with her exciting news about her lovely new home
• I was excited to be approaching the start of my detox and diet (now on hold until my body knows which way up it is!)
• I was excited about the imminent start of the 2013 Grand Prix season (albeit a little disappointed that they're only televising 10 of the 20 races (unless you have Sky))

March Lucky Mantra!

Ok, it's a bit late and we're already a week into the month but here it is!

It's going to be a month of tantalizingly slighty-warmer-but-too-soon-for-shorts weather and I'm going to be getting ready for leaping, bouncing and general springyness!

Apparently I'm going to be lucky all month (luckier than I've ever been) and I'll dance with Serendipity and dine with good fortune.

I'll inject colour into my style and walk with a swagger in some impossibly fashionable new shoes!

March will be a mountaintop of a month - with me at its lucky summit!

Work Your Proper Hours Day!

My proper hours are 7.4 hours a day of no fixed time (within reason!) and I can't remember the last time I worked them - in fact the last day I worked, before being plagued with this ridiculous infection which makes me a really cheap date (which I'm not by the way), was quite a bit over my proper hours due to the meeting which was scheduled to finish at 5 finishing at 5.30 - in fact it didn't even finish then, it was just at that point that I decided to leave!

And since the last day I worked time (and everything else in my little world) has appeared rather dali-esque!  Seriously, some people spend a lot of money on various substances to feel the way I've felt for the last few days!

 

I did work my proper hours on my first day back!

February Love Mantra - the results

Oh. Dear.

Well I did promise to tell you how epically I failed...

High fives - I'm positive I did this once with someone but for the life of me I can't remember when, who or why!.

Doing ALL the things that make me feel on top of the world - I can only think of one ocassion where I felt on top of the world (see below)...

...and none of the things which make me feel like hiding under the duvet - unfortunately I do have to work for a living! (yeah, below this one)

Spend time around all the people who make me feel fabulous - I actually did this a little bit!! In particular there was one evening at Charlie's which made me feel fabulous - it reminded me of the tourist board adverts you see for Scotland and Ireland where there's always a shot of a pub and you know you could go on holiday to Scotland or Ireland every year for the rest of your life and never experience anything like what was shown.  The Diamonds were playing live and Charlie's was that place! 

...and endeavour to be one of those people too - next month maybe!

Oh, and, yes, I was supposed to be the love - no comment.

Was February a woo hoo of a month?  More hoo than woo.

If Pets Had Thumbs Day!

Ok, no word of a lie - this is a real day!

Apparently 4th March 2013 is the third official 'If Pets Had Thumbs Day'!

There's something very comforting about finding a whole new level of crazy outside of my own 4 walls ;-)

Labyrinthitis!

Unfortunately NOT this...



Instead I get this...



At times I feel horrendously drunk (exactly like that moment when you've stumbled into bed and shut your eyes and you realise that you absolutely have to get back up again but you no longer seem to have control of your limbs) and the rest of the time everything just looks and feels 'wrong' and surreal like I've just stepped off a rollercoaster but the world just won't stop spinning.

Well so far I have to say that I've been unimpressed with 2013, my health is not having a good time of it so far this year!  On the plus side I'm getting to spend some quality time with the cats and am catching up with lots of TV shows (Quantum Leap next!).

A Few Minutes of Perfection!

See the Light!

Aha!

A lighbulb moment!

(I sooo want one of these!)

Most Seriously Don't Forget Thing to Do This Week!

I forgot it was this day and I forgot to remember something to seriously not forget to do, then I forgot tro write about it.

EPIC fail.

Chips We Love You!

Perfect timing!

Keith and I have had to reschedule our latest lunch get together (several times) and it's happened to fall on 'Chips We Love You Day' (largely because I also rescheduled that!)!

So we pootled off to the Star and Garter at Kirkby Overblow and enjoyed the best chips I've had in ages (much better than the soggy, wet and greasy offerings Ray prefers!)

These chips...we love!

I also seem to have developed a recent and irritating habit of fiddling with the poker chips at the bar at Charlie's!

Chilli Chocolate Challenge!

On 'Meet Someone New Day' we also participated in a chilli chocolate challenge - I suspected this would be a two way competition with Sarah and I withdrawing fairly early in the proceedings but I was wrong!

 

 

(Now I'm wishing I hadn't left the empty box at Nando's - I'll have to try and rely on my memory (always risky) for which was which!)

 

The blue one was supposed to be the mildest (milder jalepeno?) with green being medium (jalapeno?), yellow hot (tabasco) and red fiery (habanero) - we suspect though that there'd been an error somewhere as the green and yellow both tasted milder than the blue!

 

Much to everyone's surprise we all managed to get to the end of the challenge - even me.  Admittedly I did try and palm half of my red one on to Duncan but he was having none of it so I was left with little choice but to finish it!

Captain's Log Supplemental!

Ok, so, it's possible I've found an idea for next year's Experimental Cooking Day...

Meet Someone New Day!

I met someone old instead!

Not old as in age but old as in not new but haven't seen for a while!

Anna, Sarah and I went off to Leeds to meet up with Duncan for a long awaited catch up with much to tell from both sides!

It was also my first Nando's experience and I have to say that I'm well and truly converted!  It was awesome, in fact it was so awesome that I didn't even mind eating corn on the cob and covering my face in butter (due to eating the corn - I didn't randomly sit there and cover my face in butter just for the hell of it.  That would occur on 'Cover Your Face in Butter Just for the Hell of it Day') in public!

By face I mean chin, obviously.

People to Phone this Week!

People phoned me - I am a person to phone!

Apart from the phenomenal amount of calls I get to my home number (despite being registered with TPS) from people convinced that I, or someone who lives at my address with me, have been involved in a car accident for which we're owed compensation, people wanting to know if I have a will and am interested in updating it, people who claim I'm owed PPI, people trying to sell me everything from double glazing and kitchens to fraud protection insurance, the calls I get from a dental surgery convinced that I'm their patient and obviously just pretending to be someone else when I say they have the wrong number on their system, the calls to arrange viewings for a local estate agent who used to have this number and for whom it's still listed in some of their historical web content and the consumer research calls I get from International numbers...

(By the way this is a really good website to use to find out who's been calling and what they want - who calls me, just put the number in and hey presto!)

Marley (and Tom) called me on Saturday during their brief return to the UK between holidays in Fuerteventura and Morocco.

I was due a long over due catch up with someone on Sunday but it never happened, Pops did call me on Sunday though :-)

Experimental Cooking Day!

Shrove Tuesday but no pancakes - been there and done that!

We've already had Eastern cooking,  cooking with equipment not usually used for cooking and battering and deep frying things which shouldn't be battered and deep fried so this year I chose to finally make use of the little jelly moulds Aunty Betty gave me and fill them with jelly and things you wouldn't normally expect to find in jelly!

Webby took over the actual jelly making (aparently I wasn't doing it right?) while I organised which jelly was going to go with which added ingredient (because Webby failed to see the importance of getting this bit right!).  We were scoring each jelly on 3 things, taste, texture and appearance.

 

1) Layered (pink, blue, white, purple) cake sprinkles in Blackcurrant jelly

 

This was not successful, the jelly itself worked really well in this mould but when it was tipped out it just left all the sprinkles in a soggy mess in the bottom.

 

So, this one was kind of voided as it was just blackcurrant jelly.  Webby scored it 0 for appearance but I was impressed with bottom jelly bit so I gave it a generous 8.

 2) Jelly tots in strawberry jelly



 

Disaster!  The tots stuck in the bottom of the mould (Webby did pick them all out and placed them back on the jelly for the tasting)

 

I went for the a spoonful of jelly with a green tot and was pleased that the lime flavour had survived.  Webby gave 8 for taste, 8 for texture and 2 for appearance.  I gave 9 for taste, 8 for texture and 3 for appearance.

 

3) Tinned sweetcorn and mixed veg in blackcurrant jelly

 

This was disgusting, Webby spat it out but I toughed it out and managed to finish.  Webby gave 2 for taste, 2 for texture and 2 for looks.  I gave 2 for taste, 2 for texture and 3 for appearance.

 

4) Dry roasted peanuts in strawberry jelly

 

Also disgusting, in fact this one made both of us gag and we both spat it out.  When you think about it though it's not that different from peanut butter and jam which they put in sandwiches in the good ole US of A.  It was 0 from both of us for taste and texture and a 7 from Webby for appearance with an 8 from me (this held the shape of the mould really well!)

 

5) Hot dog sausage in strawberry jelly

 

Unfortunately things didn't get any better - this combination didn't work at all and also ended up spat out in the sink. 0 again for taste and texture from both of us with 2 for appearance from Webby and 4 from me. 

 

6) Cottage cheese in orange jelly

 

Ugh.  Although Webby actually liked this one (despite it being the one he was dreading the most) and went back for a second spoonful!  Taste was 7, texture 8 and appearance 2 from Webby and 5, 2 and 1 respectively from me.

 

7) Pea in orange jelly

 

I thought this one looked amazing! Tasted absolutely vile though and was hastily spat out in the sink!  I gave it 10 for appearance, 0 for taste and texture and Webby scored it 8, 1 and 1.

 

8) Prawns in lime jelly

 

This one just looked like something alien - which pretty much sums up the taste too!  I managed to keep it in my mouth at least which is better than Webby's attempt - 5 for appearance and 1 for taste from Webby, 6 and 1 from me and we were both in agreement that the texture was just wrong.

 

9) Dried chilli flakes in lime jelly

 

Looked very pretty but was very hot (and dry!)!  I gave it a 9 for looks, 7 for texture and 5 for taste, Webby gave 7, 6 and 6.

 

10) Pickled onions in lime jelly

 

Also looked alien (but in a good way!) but just tasted bizarre, I toughed this one out again while Webby disposed of it in the sink fairly quickly!  6 for taste from me, 9 for appearance and 5 for texture. 3, 5 and 3 from Webby.

 

And here's picture of my pretty (ish) jelly city!

 

And how it looked after the tastings (be very grateful I didn't take a photo of the sink!)

 

With a bit of luck there'll be an Experimental Cooking Day 2 later this year (if it can be arranged) which will be much more palatable than this one!