Well that's me packed and ready to "allez en France!" Have a great Christmas and a very Happy New Year. I'll catch up with you in 2008.

PhotoHunt :: Light

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I love to look at light over water - sunrise or sunset or fireworks, you name it. Particularly when there are rocks involved. You have to look for the light in these pictures BUT it's there!

Yay! Whoop!

Sorry, not quite loud enough!

YAY! WHOOP!

Last day of school - happy doesn't even begin to describe it this term ;o)

My phantom mouse finger!

I had no Internet access this morning. It was hellish. In fact if anyone asks again what my definition of hell is I shall say "awake at 4.30am with no Internet access. Unable to move in Scrabulous. Not even You tube to laugh at!"

And yet through it all my mouse finger kept moving. Like when someone looses a leg but their toes itch!

Unconscious mutterings #254

I say ... and you think ... ?

Interview :: Job
Army :: Brother
Unwrap :: Present
Evolve :: Evolution and Guinness

Bus :: Red Double Decker
The real thing :: Coca-cola
Streak :: Strip and run

Gorge :: Ironbridge Gorge
Spicy :: Hot!
Course :: Etes-vous sûr? Mais naturellement!* ... My dad's favourite French phrase!

Do some muttering of your very own ~ Unconscious Mutterings

* Are you sure? But of course!

PhotoHunt :: Small

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Well you didn't think dragons started full size did you? They have to start somewhere ... for starter, there are small dragons all over Wales

Give us a snog!

Just to let you all know ...

I ordered the god-damn turkey! Phew - that's a relief then ;o)

Even, even more notes to self

Last week you made 3 co-workers cry! No, wait ... YOU can't MAKE anyone cry, it's their tear-ducts/emotions/frustration/anger that does all the work. But they cried because of things you said/they overheard you saying. Things that weren't meant to set off those feelings/emotions. It wasn't purposeful on your part. So, it's Tuesday already. No-one cried yesterday! NOTE TO SELF ... shut the hell up today it's just not worth the risk!

You presented a staff meeting yesterday. You filled the car at the petrol station on the way home. You had to go to Tesco on the way home last night. You did all those things with a big pink blotch on the cheek of your arse. NOTE TO SELF ... check chairs before you sit down today, 3 & 4 year olds don't care where they leave the playdough!

You have your mother's M&S credit card details. You know the turkey you are supposed to order. You're taking said turkey* to France in 11 days. You have to order by the 12th. That's tomorrow. NOTE TO SELF ... order the friggin turkey! That's not any turkey, that's an M&S turkey. Today!

On the nights of the 20th and 21st you are the emergency contact for the school. If anything happens you will be phoned. YOU! The police, fire brigade, the women's institute, they'll all ring you! NOTE TO SELF ... start hounding the caretaker. He's had two weeks to cut you a set of keys, he needs to show you how to use them and how to turn the alarm off. Grab him** today.

* It'll enjoy the trip!
** But wear those extra long rubber gloves and wash down with hibiscrub afterwards.

Unconscious mutterings #253

I say ... and you think ... ?

Master:: Baiter ... LOL, I'm sorry, I'm just a nasty person!
Tour :: Tour de France
Input :: Figures
Downtown ::

Pricey :: Expensive
Acceptable :: Satisfactory
Terrace :: Outside
Sunday :: Easy
Payoff :: Money
Jack and Jill :: Went up the hill

Do some muttering of your very own ~ Unconscious Mutterings

PhotoHunt :: Long

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Can you see the end of the beach? Way down there in the distance? Past the light house, just keep on walking! I was in South Africa, near Durban, the beach went on and on for ever. It was a long walk back.

Throwing myself on a sharp object

There's a sense of urgency that's missing, a galloping need calmed ... NaBloPoMo is over and I had nothing to say yesterday, so mercifully for t'Internet I remained quiet. Mercifully, because in real life I was just a tad narked.

Yesterday was my termly lesson observation ... it's a little like the sword of Damocles - hanging over my head until it's done and then the platitudes of the feedback make me want to throw myself onto the blade. Right in the middle of my chest. Not that I'd be allowed to bring my sword to school, so I'd be better off trying to throw myself onto the forward-thrusting, open blades of a child running with scissors!

Back to normal today ... lead me to the snotty little lovelies!

Unconscious mutterings #252

I say ... and you think ... ?

Music :: Listening right now
Insanity :: Madness
Curtain :: Iron
Nickname :: Tuppence and or Gladys ... you just have to know my father!
Container :: Tupperware
Roast :: Turkey season beginning in the UK
Thong :: Purple and sequinned ~ lmao!
Purple :: People eater
Holidays :: A South African beach please
Christmas tree :: Not yet, but soon in school!

PhotoHunt :: Red

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The red bead work dishes in the centre stand out for me. Hundreds of hours of work in each one. I just couldn't afford one - they were worth every rand. So I just had to settle for a red chilli key-ring.

Let's not forget!

NaBloPoMo

Done!
It's November 30th and I've posted everyday since the November 1st.
It's been a little panicy (is that a real word?) but I made it.
Thank goodness I don't have to post tomorrow :o) Oh right of course PhotoHunt!

Thankful

In response to a very thankful someone aka Alison, I give you 7 things (one for every day this week) that I am thankful for :o)

1. My work ... I love spending time with young children. How much fun is that?
2. My friends ... Ruth, Kev, Su - where would I be without you?
3. IT ... I missed lectures in uni (they were first thing on Thursday morning. Wednesday night was union night! Hello?) but the headteacher of my first school gave me a laptop in March 1998. LIfe-changing? You betcha! And if it wasn't for her/it ... well, no laptop, no blogging, no husband, no Scrabulous *gulp*
4. My love of gastronomy ... sharing food with friends, family and love ones is almost as good as great sex or really fabulous new shoes ;o)
5. La belle France et les Français ... J'étais né au Pays de Galles et je suis Galloise mais dans mon coeur je suis Française!
6. My family ... whatever I do; how ever I fuck up; they're still my family.
7. Blogging ... Do I need to explain? After all NaBloPoMo ... well exactly!

Even more notes to self

Good grief it's almost Christmas! When did that happen? We've got our first dress rehearsel on Monday and we don't know the words to When Santa got stuck up the chimney yet! NOTE TO SELF ... pay more attention when they talk about important dates! You're in charge, you just can't afford to look like a doofus!

Speaking of almost Christmas ... cards? Presents? NOTE TO SELF ... what was it you said last time? Pull your finger out! NOW WOMAN!

Your school work "to do" list for the weekend is growing. Yes, I know you crossed two jobs off it yesterday but it's still growing. NOTE TO SELF ... say no to anything else. You already have an ICT staff meeting to present on Monday and you can't handle any more work on top of that which you already have to do. Be brave. If the head/dep head/any combo of the two ask you to do something - just say NO!

When the clinical psychologist asks you if you tackled your sniper - lie! Say yes you did! NOTE TO SELF ... but look convincing ;o) She's a trained professional and she'll see through you. And then go and deal with the sniper - because she's a vicious, truth-twisting, mardy cow-bag hiding behind baby-blues and a blond fringe and needs taking down a peg or two for your personal satisfaction!

Tuesday night music

I must have shared this before ... just fancied a little James Taylor!

What a voice, what a tanktop!

So far removed from picture perfect

My parents came for the night. They've gone to Wales for a few days. They've borrowed my camera ... I feel bereft! I can't wait for them to come back ALREADY!

Unconscious mutterings #251

I say ... and you think ... ?

Filthy :: Rotten Scoundrels
Therapist :: Talk
Duck :: Donald
Slant :: Not parallel
Artist :: Da Vinci
Lease :: Temporary
Wish :: Upon a star
Doormat :: Welcome
Global :: Whole world
Apartment :: Home for a little while

PhotoHunt :: Hot

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This week's PhotoHunt was Hot ... I could of course gone and stalked the delightful Hugh, or the gorgeous Viggo for a week or two - but that just wouldn't have been right. So I give you instead ... my infamous* Lamb and Fig Tagine!

I don't think I realised how hard it is to photograph steam. Bit like catching it in your hand really :o) It was certainly hot and I think I managed to capture the steam.

* It's the figs - poor love's bowels just can't cope!

Blog roll woo-hoo!

*singing and dancing around* "It's Friday. it's Friday, I'm happy it's Friday!" *still singing and dancing around* "My parents are coming to visit, my parents are coming to visit" *stops dancing and singing* God, shouldn't do that as my support tights are now garroting me!

Being busy at work doesn't really allow me to visit my blogroll as much as I would like, so I figured I would take me and you all on a little tour of them this Friday ~ I wish it was a real tour ... but I can't afford all your airfares!

So, first on my list is Absolute Vanilla ... (& Atyllah) ~ the alien chicken is quiet at the moment and even Ms Absolute Vanilla herself is feeling a little under the weather ... sick as a parrot in fact. Hope you're feeling better soon :o)

Over at Adventures of an Urban Cowgirl, the Cowgirl herself is celebrating her 30th birthday ~ I remember mine, at least I think I remember mine. All I know is that Dino is a much better 30th birthday than the watch I had. And now, it's time for me to go to work ... so I will finish this tonight.

**UPDATE** I mean I will finish this for Monday! The Friday dottle of vain de table Francais got in the way :o( Hic!

Ballsy-ness

It's been a really ballsy day. Tough on the old grey cells. Meetings with lots of "probing" questions and quick thinking. Lots of accountability. And a morning spent with a clinical psychotherapist - for professional development honest :o) SO ... this is as good as the post will get today. How many more days until the end of November?

Blind!

I got all the way to work before I realised that they were both in the same eye, one on top of the other!* If you were on the A2 this morning - god was looking after you!

* Do you think I should be allowed out alone?

More notes to self

Weren't you listening when I said "don't forget your jacket"? The weather has (as I predicted) got colder and wetter and fouler* - are you stupid? Wait don't answer that Joanne! Note to self - leave a jacket in the car, one in school AND another at home. This can be used as an excuse** to buy a new jacket!

Poker tonight, here. I'm making curry and rice for munchies during the cards. Why did I offer to do that? Full day of work, followed by SLuT meeting, followed by bastard A2 commute and then cook? Note to self - go to Tesco's and buy veggies, crisps and dips instead! They wont mind, in fact Tracy will be pleased as I wont be starting a precedent. Not that I was Tracy - honest. Not that you'll be reading this as you're only a radical ebay-er*** now ;o)

France is a month away today. Note to self - pull your finger out of your nose and book the god-damn ferry before the price inflates completely!

Whilst we're on the subject ... you're going to France to celebrate Christmas. That's Christmas when you give presents. Note to self - whilst your finger is pulled, do some Christmas shopping. Three paperbacks for your mother are not going to cut the mustard! You've not even bought any cards yet ~ you've become a disaster!

* Hey I got a prediction right, maybe the met office will give me a job!
** You're right it's YOUR money, you don't need an excuse, because let's face it even the bit of YOUR money that is his money is YOUR money anyway!
*** ebay-er ~ noun : one who ebays ;o)

A frightfully British posting

Day number 19 of November and I've been awake for a while. I'm now sitting at the PC listening to the rain battering the office window. It's cold and it's damp and eventhough I have resorted to putting the central heating on and I'm wearing PJs and a dressing gown, I'm chilled to the bone! It's one of the things that I dislike most about winter - the whole "cold, damp, will that window in the roof that Simon fixed last winter hold?" thing.

I checked the 5 day weather forecast on the BBC - other weather forescasting channels are available - and what a joy that is! Look at the wind indicator ... did someone just flick it around like a roulette wheel? Did they think "wind from the south, no the west, no north, no west, ah forget it"? Make your bloody mind up will you, so I know which way to point my umbrella so it doesn't blow inside out!

There is a little ray of sunshine in this outlook. No unfortunately not a REAL ray of sunshine. A ray of sunshine along the lines of at least there's no snow in that picture. So, I shall shake out my souwester, doff my waterproof hat and wiggle into my wellies. The bloody weather eh? How British am I this morning?

Unconscious mutterings #250

I say ... and you think ... ?

Toasty :: Warm
Allegations :: Lies?
Herb :: Basil and oregano ... *wink* said the UK way! Not BAYzil and orAYganOH *wink*
Bacon :: Sandwich for breakfast
Neck to neck:: Cheek to cheek
Simon :: Husband
Heels :: Boots
Fundamentals :: At the heart of the matter
Middle :: Child
Seasonings :: Spicing up your life?

Randomness abounds

In a random YOU'RE IT fly by TAGGING, Absolute Vanilla (and her chickeny hijacker) bade me to come up with 7 bits of randomness ~ I believe she's trying to keep from more of my thieving ways ... it'll take more than that Ms AV!!

The rules are as follows ...

Link to the person’s blog who tagged you.
Post these rules on your blog.
List seven random and/or weird facts* about yourself.
Tag seven random [?] people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog.

1. I'm allergic to cat hair, it makes me sneeze and my ears swell.

2. I haven't been to London this year even though I only live 35.8 miles from Charring Cross (the centre of London).

3. My favourite tinned soup is Heinz Cream of Tomato. It gives me heart burn.

4. I have had mehndi on the palm of my left hand since Tuesday. I couldn't go to the loo for 45 minutes whilst it dried - I was fairly desperate by that time!!

5. I used to be on the school synchronized swimming team - I can hold my leg straight up in the air at a 90 degree angle from my body whilst floating on the surface of a swimming pool whilst wearing lipstick and a fixed grin.

6. I can't ice skate. I've never fallen over whilst ice skating but I just know that I can't ice skate.

7. My favourite Italian-y sounding word is piccolina. I call the girls in class piccolina. I call the boys piccalilli.

I'm not tagging 7 of you, just have a go if you fancy it :o)

* Do I got to stop at just 7? I could be random for months at a time!
** I don't think it's a real Italian word!

PhotoHunt :: I love France!

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I love France, particularly the Basque and Lot regions. This photo is in the Basque country; a view of the beach at St Jean de Luz, looking south east towards the Pyrenees. I really do love France ... well, most things about it - the people, the language, the countryside, the beaches, the food* and of course the fact that my parents live there. Lots more French photos for you to enjoy ici.

* It must be said I don't much care for the accordion music.

Here

... willing but unable to post! Router knackered. PC World here I come. NaBloPoMo don't panic ;o)

All you have to do is *shuffle* aka IF YOUR LIFE WERE A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?

In which I steal a meme from the fabulous Kiwi ~ 50%Kiwi 50%Fruity. This is what you have to do ...

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc.)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool ...

Opening Credits - Magic of love ~ Russell Wason and Lionel Ritchie

Waking Up - Don't come around here no more ~ Tom Petty

First Day at School - Right now ~ The Creatures ... had to include this actual video (not just a link) because I lurve it!



Falling in Love - When you say nothing at all ~ Alison Krauss

Fight Song - Ace of Spades ~ Hayseed Dixie ... if you haven't seen it/them, you deserve to! For the laugh!

Breaking Up - Round Here ~ Counting Crows

School Ball - Little L ~ Jamiroquai

Life is Good - The Boys of Summer ~ Don Henley

Mental Breakdown - Theme from the Dukes of Hazzard ~ Waylon Jennings

Driving - I said I love you ~ The Mavericks

Getting Back Together - Castles in Air ~ Don Maclean

Wedding - Big Yellow Taxi ~ Joni Mitchell

Paying the Dues - Mulder and Scully ~ Catatonia

The Night Before the War - Laura ~ Scissor Sisters

Final Battle - Hammer time ~ MC Hammer *snort*

Moment of Triumph - Sweet Home Alabama ~ Lynyrd Skynyrd

Death Scene - If I had a million dollars ~ Barenaked Ladies

Funeral Song - Copperhead Road ~ Steve Earle

End Credits - Baby it's cold outside ~ Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews

In conclusion: The girl's a little bit whole lot country and a little bit rock'n'roll!

Facebook

My niece Laura went on and on* about Facebook 12 months ago and I completely dismissed everything she said about it out of mind. Poke someone? Why? Talk to complete strangers because they had the same surname as me** ... look I know I married someone I met on Yahoo! but don't you think that's taking things a little far? Nope, no Facebook for me - I had Blogger and that was just fine!

And then, at the end of July, the lovely Miss Leah - one of my fellow teacher's returned home to Bloomingdale, Illinois; so come September I was dragged kicking and screaming to Facebook as an easy way to keep in touch with her***. I mean look at that dance, that smile, you'd need to keep in touch too - right? So, I blithely entered the world of Facebook and soon I was, throwing sheep, trout-slapping, sending growing gifts and playing Scrabulous ~ I am such an addict I currently have 19 games underway ~ with the best of them.

I hooked up with a couple of mates from college, friends from work, an ex-colleague who is currently in Korea, my nieces - lovely. I'm a fairly social girl and it was nice to be able to just say hi to mates. Of course I searched for other friends - of course you do, pure nosiness makes you do that if nothing else. But nothing - no-one special. And then 3 weeks ago ~ I hit the jackpot!

I found a very, very good friend of mine who I shared a house with in college who had moved on and we'd lost touch! This was the kind of friend who'd have shared a toilet cubicle in a nightclub****, broken in to the park with you to ride on the roundabout at 3am, danced on the pool table in a dodgy pub, created a 3 foot penis as a birthday cake, danced in the back garden and got stuck in the brambles with, held your hair for you to throw up, cooked beans on toast for you at 4am after the park break in*****. A fab friend. A friend who'd I cried over loosing. So in honour of the wonder that is Facebook I give you a photo of Cherry and I circa 1995 in the backroom of the same dodgy pub we danced on the pool table in - wotcha Chesa ... it's good to have you back!

* ... and on and on and on and on - Mrs Doyle eat your heart out
** I still don't do this ... you never know who's out there!
*** Anyone who can walk down the school corridor, wolf whistle and holler "hey honey can I get some fries to go with that shake?" is worth staying in with touch with!
**** Maybe it's a girl thing? But wait - in a nightclub you guys "all share the cubicle!"
***** Yes mum, I'm sorry, we did all of those things! Trust me, I've edited the list ;o)

Notes to self

I had to scrape the car window yesterday morning for the first time. Whilst I was there, the impossibly tanned next-door neighbour turned up and I lent him my scraper - note to self, next time remember that it was him and his missus bonking (she's incredibly vocal ... When Harry met Sally eat your heart out) that woke both Simon and I last Saturday night at 3am! Let him suffer!

Just because you've been lucky enough to be give an IWB doesn't mean it's yours and no-one else can touch it - note to self, stop being an absolute cow bag and let Katie use your room and that big picture screen once in a while! It doesn't have to be now, but it will have to be soon!

The weather is going to continue to get colder and not warmer - note to self, don't forget your jacket again this morning, you've got playground duty and you will freeze!

My gay best friend came to dinner last night. I was very pleased to see him! Very, very pleased - note to self, even if the man is gay, if you're that pleased to see him your husband will get the hump!

I am so struggling with NaBloPoMo - note to self, next year plan some posts in advance / keep some in reserve during October / don't do NaBloPoMo.

Happyland

Just for the joy it, I give you Chicken Happyland - form an orderly queue to leave! Well, it make me laugh ;o)

Unconscious mutterings #249

I say ... and you think ... ?

Treadmill :: Boring
Stroke :: Positive
Exclusively :: Just for you ;o)
Lash :: Out on the lash again!
Red carpet :: Frock
Credit card :: Cut it up!
Points :: Supermarket loyalty card
Domestic :: Goddess
21 :: My age minus VAT
Inject :: Medicine

Scrambulous!

And what was it exactly that you were worried about Mrs Fizz?

PhotoHunt :: Flexible

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We were coming home from a party and there wasn't enough room in the car for Simon ... so we bent him in half and he fitted in the boot! He looks happy because it was a very good party ;o) Luckily there were no rozzers around.

Friiiiiiiiiiiiiiday!

Sorry I bitched and moaned yesterday/Wednesday but that's all over now because - WHOOP - it's the weekend, well as good as. I only teach on Friday mornings, paperwork in the afternoons - saves me bringing it home eh? And then it'll be Friday eve - officially the weekend. So, what are you going to do with it?

We'll be eating lamb kebabs a la Fi tonight ... because they made me dribble when she wrote about them. I'm going to start re-reading this after being reminded about it by la bella Stella. I am going to breathe deeply and enjoy fresh air walking along this dotted red line. And I am joining friends for a long walk through the park and brunch on Sunday in Greenwich. It'll be fab. I know the wind will blow and it might rain (they've even had snow in Aberdeen) but I don't care because it's the weekend people! ENJOY!

31 questions :: yet another stolen meme

1. Where is your mobile phone? Who knows? Could be anywhere! I'm a nightmare for putting it down somewhere when it's on silent.
2. Describe your boyfriend/girlfriend husband? Tall, quiet, funny, calm, caring.
3. Your hair? Needs brushing.
4. Your mother? Is in France, hopefully persuading my father to shut down the pool for the winter.
5. Your father? With my mother? We can live in hope!
6. Your favourite item? Currently, new work laptop
7. Your dream last night? About my teaching assistant's loud voice. WTF?
8. Your favourite drink? Alcoholic - shiraz. Non-alcoholic - tea.
9. Your dream car? Would be red!
10. The room you are in? My office.
11. Your ex? Is in west Wales somewhere.
12. Your fear? Spiders!!!!!!
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? Happy :o)
14. Who did you hang out with last night? Simon
15. What you’re not? Skinny.
16. The last thing you did? Made my move on Scrabulous.
17. What are you wearing? Black trousers, red jumper.
18. Your favourite book? The Eight.
19. Last thing you ate? Jacket potato, steak and sauce.
20. Your life? Hectic would cover it.
21. Your mood? On the up - it's nearly Friday!
22. Your friends? Very important to me
23. What are you thinking about right now? Getting ready for school - I could do with hauling arse!
24. Your car? Full to the brim with petrol.
25. What are you doing at the moment? Answering these bloody questions that I stole from Fi. It suddenly occurs that all her answers were just one word. Was that the whole point of this?
26. Your summer? It's over, but it was French.
27. Your relationship status? Married.
28. What is on your TV? Setanta - he's an addict.
29. When is the last time you laughed? 20 minutes ago, reading this. What was he thinking? Can you imagine what the nude photos looked like? A carrot for god's sake?
30. Last time you cried? Umm, surprisingly I can't remember. I'll have a think about it and get back to you.
31. School? Yes, exactly, got to go there now!

Isn't it Friday yet?

**Warning, rant ahead, feel free to walk away now if you truly cannot be arsed**

This being the boss is bloody exhausting.

But the thing that is tiring me out more than anything is the waiting. We're waiting for bloody-buggering Ofsted to call.

It used to be that you got a letter and then 6 weeks later they arrived at the door. You had all that time to get ready; to plan your lessons, to make sure that your books were marked to within an inch of their lives, to tidy, tart-up displays etc etc and it was hell. Because it was 6 weeks of 15 hour working days. Then they were in school for 3 (or in the case of a large school 4) days. They watched everyone teach. They converged on all assemblies and lunchtime clubs. They were omnipresent! And then, they fed back and were gone.

Things are slightly different now; thanks to the joy that is self evaluation, they phone school, email a pre inspection commentary (based on said self evaluation) and arrive 48 working hours later. They then spend two days asking you to prove what you wrote in your self-evaluation form. "Ah Mrs L, you said that Miss S in the nursery is a good teacher - can you ask her to show us a good lesson please?" So instead of 6 weeks of 15 hour days, I am on constant 15 hour days. The 15 hour days don't stop, they keep on coming. Now I am getting used to this - on the other hand, my husband is bloody furious about it. I understand why. He doesn't see me. Not even on a Saturday or Sunday. I am constantly here banging away at the PC, churning out lesson plans, data, performance management reviews, action plans, evaluations etc. etc.

So, we're waiting for the phone call. They didn't ring yesterday, so *counts on fingers*... they can't come this week. But they could ring today and come on Monday. And I have SO MUCH TO DO!

Know where I can buy a life anyone?

Old friends

In June 1988 I started a recipe book ... not a recipe book like Nigella or Nigel* but a jotter (originally bought at Shabbytat) in which to scribble recipes that I'd seen and wanted to try / tried and loved and wanted to cook again / felt I should keep in case I needed them. Some are family recipes, some nicked**, notes about meals I've eaten and loved and want to recreate; some are very, very simple, others more challenging. Some are just lists - like the list of salads a French friend could just chuck together at a moments notice.

Way back in June 1988 my 18 year old self would very carefully in her best hand writing painstakingly copy out the recipes word for word. If I made a mistake I would tippex or even use my other friend Stanley to remove the page! These days I scribble, with whatever is to hand - been known to use a crayon and once even picked up a lip liner ... but thought better of it***!

The book is dirty, well not dirty, more like slightly grubby - it's been in the kitchen, it's got oil spots on it, there's a smear of pasta sauce**** on the back cover. But I love it and I'd be lost without it; in fact if there was a fire I'd grab it, my family history certificates and my back-up CD. Oh and Simon *flutters eyelashes* of course.

* Or any other cook, not one that has to begin with N.
** There's me and my thieving ways, at it again.
*** It's a gorgeous colour and Rimmel don't make it anymore.
**** It's a fab recipe!

The garage roof and other burblings

I spent a lot of time yesterday looking out of the window, staring over the garage roof; in darkness and daylight. In daylight the roof is golden, littered with the leaves falling from the ash and oak trees at the bottom of the garden. In last night's darkness the night sky was illuminated with gold and magenta, violet and green. Fireworks at a local display; with Guy Fawkes night tomorrow and Divali next week they'll be a common sight for the next couple of nights. Nature and man-made wonder. All there above my garage roof.



I watched episode two of Long Way Down last night. I loved the first series, Long Way Round when Ewan and Charley rode from London to New York the long way round via Europe and Asia. In fact I am quite happy to spend a quiet Sunday watching the DVD set from start to finish, bolstered by the odd plate of olives, houmous and pita and a wee drop of red wine every now and again.

This time I followed the journey on the BBC and read the book before the serious started. Am I disappointed so far? Maybe a little - 2 episodes to get from London to John O'Groats, back again and then through Europe and into a Libyan sand storm. I fear there wont be enough time for really looking at Africa. But in answer to the question posed on the front cover of Brogue ... Ewan vs Sir Sean : Who's hotter? Even after last night's shower scene, with cleverly positioned "box" the answer has to be Sir Sean. Sorry Ewan!

Unconscious mutterings #248

I say ... and you think ... ?

Assets :: Small donkeys?
Concern :: Parent
Over the top :: OTT
Supplies :: Needs
Mustache :: Moustache
Doug :: That chronic joke from school days ... "What do you call a man with a shovel on his head?"
Coach :: Bus
Bleachers :: Spectators' seats
Stripes :: Flag
Assortment :: Mixture

PhotoHunt :: Classic

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As well as taking part in NaBloPoMo, I have been dillying and dallying and finally decided that I am going to try to do PhotoHunt every Saturday. Well, we'll see wont we? I can only succeed or die trying ;o)

We spent time during a residential trip rock pooling, there was no "worried about health & safety" bureaucracy, the children were fully briefed and full of the excitement/enjoyment of it. We left 2 hours later, tired but enormously happy. It was a truly classic British summer's day!

p.s. Those are the white cliffs of Dover there guys!

Windy?

I could never do this when I was in school, not with my hands/armpits no part of my body. I couldn't even burp Baa, baa, black sheep (my brother's first party piece). Bit of a let down really! Enjoy this Manualism as I use NaBloPoMo as an excuse to give you Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody in hand farts. I'm off to see if I can video of him playing Fat bottomed girls!

Little bits of randomness flowing from me

We had jacket potatoes for dinner last night, we don't have them often and every time we have them I ask myself "why don't we have JPs more often?" They were gorgeous and then skin was all crunchy and beautiful and the smell of hot potato skin is lovely too ... how's that for random? One of my favourite smells is the smell of hot potato skin as it bakes.

Why do we swap from GMT to BST and back again? Does it actually make things better for us? Or does it screw our body clocks even more? Not everyone does it! Iceland doesn't.

As I looked at my hands the day before yesterday I was struck by the sudden thought that they looked just like my mum’s hands. Lines, marks, wrinkles (the big 40 will be here sooner than I want it to be), the same skin tone, freckles, knuckles - spookily like my mum’s hands! The wonder of genetics.

I had a working lunch yesterday with the headteacher and an educational consultant ... in my imagination "working lunches" had better catering and were more glamorous!

Well, I slept until 5 this morning ... a combination of knackeredness, 2 glasses of chianti classico and a hot water bottle ... if that's what it takes, as long as I sleep. So, it's Friday - hurrah! Because that means tomorrow I don't got to get up for work ~ doubly hurrah!

Awake

I don't quite know what's happening but my sleep pattern seems to be pretty much fucked. All topsy-turvy and back to front - it 3:47am and I've already been awake over an hour and I'm not really sure what to do about it! I've considered going to see the doctor; but what can he do? Offer me sleeping pills ... is that a road I really want to go down? What I need instead is some way of working out why this is happening and what's causing it.

I'm sure that it's work. Or rather the lack of work-life balance that I am currently suffering. Too many jobs to do, to many "plates to keep spinning", back to that thing of too many people wanting their little bit of me, their ounce pound of flesh. And lets not even get into how this is going to affect home life and marital harmony!

I made a decision to try NaBloPoMo this year - there's no way I could consider writing a whole novel in a month but posting once a day for the dreary month of November - probably not such a difficult process. From this angle and awake at this time, the end of the month looks a long way away!

Yesterday morning mid playground

One of the girls in my class came running up to me and grabbed me in a hug - yes I know the government says we're not supposed to hugh/touch children; I didn't, she hugged me ... you try getting them not to - and said ...

R - Oh Mrs L, you smell like custard without being yellow.

Boots Vanilla body spray strikes again!

Unconscious mutterings #247

I say ... and you think ... ?

Inaugural :: US Presidents
Pledge :: Do the dusting with Pledge
String :: Ball of string
Trot :: Walk, trot, canter, gallop
Fitness :: Exercise
Cinder :: Ash
Edge :: Blade
31 :: Not any more
Blue :: Ocean
Leather :: Chaps

A note from the schmuck

According to the wonderful Wiki, "Schmuck" from the Slovene word, šmok, meaning "a fool, an innocent, a gullible dolt."

As you possibly know, I write some of the questions over at that's my answer ~ your daily pitstop for questionable fun ... this morning for probably the millionth tenth time I had to email Indigo and ask her to reset my password! WTF? Why is it I can't remember one simple password for one website that I have to log-on to 3 mornings a week? I generally stay logged in - it's just easier that way. And then I realised it's not just a password on the odd website, I am forever having to ask the bank to reset PIN numbers ... you know that 3 tries and you're out system - get's me everytime! I had to ring SKY 4 times before it stuck in my head that the PIN for the card is the last 4 numbers ON the card and I could just look in the machine!

So maybe I'm just a schmuck where it comes to all things tech/password/PIN numbery - no hope really in this day and age is there?

Free Rice

Free Rice, originally uploaded by Laquet.

A sister site to World Poverty.com ~ Free Rice donates rice through the United Nations

What to do ...

Go to Free Rice.

Click on the answer that best defines the word.
If you get it right, you get a harder word. If wrong, you get an easier word.
For each word you get right, they donate 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program.

Food - fabulous food!

So on Monday off I pootered to Shisho's to make samosas. A start of my journey phone call had me dashing to the supermarket for icing sugar ... I was confused about why we would need icing sugar to make samosas but hey-ho!

It wasn't until I arrived at 9am that I finally realised what a huge job it was going to be - Harpreet and Shisho had been making dough since 8 o'clock. They'd gone through 12 lbs of flour and made three different types of dough, for 3 different projects.

Harpreet was rolling out the dough for the samosas, which I then cooked slightly on a roti pan (to stop them sticking together) ... quick fingers to take them off without getting singed. We then cut them into semi circles and covered them to stop them drying out. We cooked over 100 dough circles before we started a production line to fill them. Harpreet glued each semi-circle into a cone, I filled them with a spiced potato and pea* mixture and Shisho, sealed and crimped them. (Click here to see the photos).

It was all going swimmingly well and then my camera died :o( so, I cannot in fact prove that we made over 250 samosas, or that we cooked chick pea curry and prepared yogurt with tamarind to serve with the samosas at lunch time. Then in the afternoon we made spiced snacks - similar taste to the long thin spiced bits you get in Bombay Mix but a different shape and sweet little square of pastry that taste like yum-yums. There are notes on the photos over at Flickr and if you're ever in the neighbourhood - pop in, I have the spare skins in my freezer just for an occasion such as that :o)

* Potato, cumin, fried onion, peas, chili, garam masala - yum!

Oooh!

samosa, originally uploaded by Laquet.

I am off to spend the day with my nursery nurse - Shisho - and one of my teaching assistants - Harpreet - and they are going to teach me how to cook samosas and mattar. I am going to try and persuade them that as we have the whole day, there's enough time to learn roti too. And then I just have to refill my masala dabba and I'm good to go - no more takeaway curries in this house. In return I will be showing Shisho how to make homemade pasta sauce. I'll be back later with lots of photos and some recipes to share.