Sunday 27 December 2015

Sunday Photo

Monday 21 December 2015

Charity This Christmas

I know it's Christmas and charity is probably coming out your ears , I know we can't give to all and I know there are lots of charities who want your money. Without Charity my mother wouldn't be having her Christmas dinner with friends , without charity my mother wouldn't be in her association housing . without charity she wouldn't have her cooker , sofa or food at times. 

You see I do want I can.


She does what she can , she'll scowl at you in a garden centre if you take her table , she said something which struck me about charity .

"It's how you treat your volunteers "

Which is true !

So come one come all celebrate the volunteers this Christmas.

Without volunteers my mother wouldn't be have a dinner with friends.

So thank you those who volunteer.

The unsung heroes.

Friday 18 December 2015

Christmas Procrastination

I saw a quote which said 

"I'd rather have a passport full of stamps than a household full of stuff "

This is why I haven't got a new kitchen yet , indeed I've been ignoring this fact for a good decade I think instead concentrating on providing a good experience for my son and family . To fuel that adventuring spirit is second to none this year saw us going to Berlin 





and to Washington D.C , perhaps I'm the reincarnation of Philleas Fogg !!



I love travel so much I'm lucky to be able to do so.



This is from Dubai a few years ago , ooooh for a kitchen win or indeed a holiday win , I'm tirturing myself with looking at pictures of glossy kitchens . Today we even went to look at kitchens 

Mr T

" I like this one "

Which means " I don't "


The Christmas throws us into the mix of kitchens , decorating , holidays and what the hell do do with the Devils baubles 


Sprouts 

I haven't a clue what is going on in Downtown Abbey ! 

Never seen it and haven't seen Call the Midwife either.


Christmas procrastination I love it.

For the first time I'm relaxing , I know in the new year sometime I'll be taking my flip flops on a Spa trip.

It's unusual not to be in a state of panic ..


Anyone seen my glasses ?







Sunday 13 December 2015

Call It Cycling Intuition

Call it cycling intuition 



The other day I was at the doctors due to a viral Lurgy things mybob , where the doctor who was jolly did declare 

" The NHS do like you to suffer for 10 days "

Which rather did make me smile ...

On the way out I did hear the receptionist declare there were no face to face appointments for a month , makes a mental note note to be ill for a month.

Though in January I've an allergy test to see if I'm allergic to shellfish , then an asthma review the following week.This week I'm seem to be waking up like the angry ladybird "hey you want a fight"

Of course I'm not fighting anyone at all except the lids of varying jars , obviously I want to get fit after Christmas so I'm saying it now. Cheese I think is my biggest downfall curse you cheese.

I'm really loving my bicycle with a basket it allows me slow blogging , it offers me unconditional love and it's my bicycle ....

I'm clawing my way to the end of term ..

It's Tuesday I can do this .

I think there's Prosecco in the staff room fridge ....


 

Friday 11 December 2015

When You Own A Cat They Steal Time

When You Own A Cat They Steal Time





When you own a cat ... ( scratch that one )

When a cat owns you , nothing gets done, this is quite possibly why my hall way has remained undecorated for 8 years. The current colour of my hallway is depressed peach I am pretty sure that is the naughties colour that was picked, we are decorating through every other room but strangely this one is being ignore. The transient nature of a hallway is obviously not demanding enough it is the equivalent of the person in the Post Office queue saying

"No you go in front,it's ok "

And then the person you let in front mysteriously magicking 10 million parcels from NO WHERE !


When a cat owns you I have discovered they are time stealers and stop you obtaining your goals for the day like perhaps housework except when you have to remove a mouse , or clear up that fur ball they have thrown up on your brown carpet.

SEE why have a brown carpet now, though one day I know my feet may regret that decision.


How else have cats stolen my time ...

You'll notice how in the top photo Jack has Mr T pinned down , this is why our bedroom hasn't been painted . Are you sensing a common theme here ...

Wednesday 9 December 2015

Don't Trust Your Cat With The Internet

I didn't order the cats' Advent calendar.

My husband didn't order the cats' advent calendar.

My son didn't order it.

Mystery it must have been the cat.


Rollie is having slight discipline issues so I am suspecting that Rollie has got hold of my Amazon account and tried to order a Christmas stocking for himself. He has tried to eat Father Christmas and is currently biting my Christmas cards , he has a card board fiction and tries to eat and chew card board.



Lawless cat.



Friday 4 December 2015

Christmas Morning Frittata

What if you weren't having your Christmas dinner till the evening  ?

Never fear super Frittata is here !


Ingredients 



6 eggs ( lightly beaten )
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
chopped spring onion 
chopped green and red pepper
3 lots of different cheese of choice
about 50 g of each so 150g in total
salt & pepper to season






Method

Preheat your oven to about 160 / 170 allowing if you have a fan assisted oven.



In a frying pan , saute all together the green pepper onions and garlic (optional)for about 5 minutes or until they are tender. Remove and set aside . Next stir in the tomatoes and any herbs that you desire. In a large bowl mix together the ingredients that are left . Sir in the vegetables you set aside 


I pour the pictured in a non stick pie dish ( one of those ones with a lefty out base )

I booked for 25 in the oven , leaving to cool for 5 minutes .









I was able to pop into my local Co op which has been in my village for a 100 years all be in it in a new building but they still offer fantastic service, I know where I will be getting some of my Christmas #mycooptreats from.

Disclosure I was sent some vouchers from the Co op to develop this recipe .

Older Teenager Christmas Ideas

You're never too old for toys , otherwise what else is Christmas for ?, but the older children it gets more difficult it becomes to produce presents that delight and endure at Christmas. I've 2 Christmas left before my son goes off to University and I want make this a family Christmas to be memorable.




For the Star Wars obsessed teen 


It has got to be the droid that is Sphero BB-8 .

In a galaxy far far long ago that was 1977 I was there from the start ! hurrah , and seeing a blockbuster at Christmas time has always been a family tradition in the T household. So what better for a tech love at Christmas that the droid Sphero BB-8 The App enabled Star wars Droid that  I  can play with with this Christmas , cat is going to love that !


£129 is the price for this little chap may the Force be with you !


For the teen that loves gaming

As my teen get ever more gangly limbs a kimber like a startled bambi he is outgrowing his rocker chair in his bedroom , so a new gaming seat was in order . This bean gaming chair form is ideal and he will be able to game in comfort or sit their reading his A level books as he tends to work any where but his desk .

i-ex® Gaming Bean Bag makes a great gift for a teenager! Most teenage boys are into their gaming, and this specially designed gaming bean bag chair is the perfect accessory.

-          I-eX® Gaming Bean Bag - £99.99 (currently on sale at £74.99)




For the sporty teen

Trainers are essential for a teenager it enables them to go outside and experience fresh air and clouds and stuff ....  But really for my teenager good trainers are a honest necessity as he is doing A level P E and apparently they do more than shimmy up a top in gym these days. At the moment he is having his training sessions video towards his A level , Every thing is oh so technical these days.


So these ASICS Gel-Kayano 22 Lite-show running shoes will be just the right present for his feet ! and there is plenty of choice of other trainers from from Sportsshoes.com

These are priced at £115 but are a top quality sports shoes that meet the demands of the modern athlete.
Disclosure  I was sent the gaming chair and the trainers for purposes of review , the Sphero however I brought myself and let me tell you the lack of cat treats  which paid for Sphero  however fluffy Rollie wasn't taken very well.



Monday 30 November 2015

Toad In The Hole Special

Ooh no more is it a sad day when there's no sausages to go to make toad in the hole , in fact you can you up your left overs ! And toad in the hole us very warming these dark evenings as the leaves blow by.

Ingredients


200g Wholemeal flour (usually it is plain but I had run out)
a pinch of English mustard powder
pinch of salt ( used Maldon salt)
3 eggs
300ml milk
Left over cubed beef, chicken, lamb etc
1 onion chopped to go in the gravy later.








Method

Heat your oven to 220c

Divide the oil into the individual Yorkshire tins or a  baking tin

1. Combine the sieved flour mustard and salt in a bowl then stir in the eggs. Then with a whisk , whisk until smooth.

2. Pour the mixture into either individual Yorkshire tin or  baking tin.

3. Stir in the cubed beef/ lamb chicken etc

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

4. Caramelise the chopped onion in a pan and add it to gravy when the Yorkshire pudding is ready.





If your Yorkshire suffer from soggy bottoms then you could add a little batter to the bottom of you individual tins or large baking , adding in the remaining batter for the last 15 minutes .

I think you can get wholemeal to raise more with a fair wind and the Mary Berry behind you , or Paul Hollywood I wouldn't say no to his help.

Last Night A Ramekin Saved My Life

Last night a ramekin saved my life.

You see all the times when you say....


"I'm going to IKEA "

And you actually buy those tea lights you swore you weren't going to buy , well those tea lights and the ramekins you hoarded have come in useful , then the Cosmos smiles at you.


But before that The Cosmos arranges a power cut whilst you are making a cheese sandwich , and you are at the point when you have the grater in your hands , you politely curse


"Blooming heck "


Now no one can actually vouch for the words that I said and unfortunately or fortunately Kate Burley from Sky news wasn't on scene to add gravity and ethos to the situation.



I've counted that I own 20 ramekins ...

My name is Claire and I've a Ramekin habit ....

Thursday 26 November 2015

Fixing My Depression Short Circuit

I was thinking something of which I do rather a lot .

How boring the world would be if we were all  the same.

Monday was when I realised I wasn't quite over my depression, and that's really OK I'm not sure I'll ever really be over if I'm honest . Depression isn't really something you can wall paper over , we all react and recover in our own way.

Depression is simply put like an electrical circuit you don't know if and when you might short out.

What's the fix I hear you cry ? 

Mmmm the fix could be a bar of chocolate , a friendly word a phrase of a song In fact anything ! 

" brown paper packages tied up with string " 


Who knows ?!



It could be days before I short out again , months or indeed a year or years , after a momentous melt down last year I'm wary but I don't let it rule my life. I might shut down emotionally but it's my way of recovering so I don't go back to last year, every step I take away from last year is one more plus.

It's the old old adage of a swan calm on the surface but paddling like fury underneath , just because on whatever day I looked Ok, I wasn't really.

So I'm off to find my fix to my short circuit unless someone has eaten my fix ...

Till then I leave you with happy toast .




Thursday 19 November 2015

Keep Fighting Till The Fight Is Done

Sometimes I wonder who I am?

I see myself but sometimes it doesn't feel quite real.

How brave is it to bare your soul.


So I keep fighting till the fight is done.

What the fight is varies , it could be to motivate myself to do something as simple as vacuuming the house , or it could be to take myself off to a blog event. But as I am ever the rebel I make my own rules up as I go along and I pick myself constantly out of a hole , people don't always understand how mortified I can be when I talk being shy.

The little things are what makes me brave and see me through  , a cup of tea a walk home through the village with the sun breaking through by the church.


I blog .

Earlier I was tweeting my blog friends on Twitter who are at #Bligfest15 and I tweeted :

"My blog is a star in my hand I just need to let it shine "

Say this when you feel down blog wise 

#blogfest15

You can turn this phrase to anything !

I'm embracing difficult situations more .

Do you think you can ?

Keep fighting till the fight is done .

Wednesday 18 November 2015

Wander Must




I am approaching a midlife crisis.

I think with a midlife crisis you are meant to buy a sports car or a motorcycle  or a scooter as my husband did years ago (that looked like a motorcycle ) his midlife crisis lasted a few years but he got rid of the scooter some time ago

So much so that I have a restless niggle to travel , I could quite happily roam the world with my wanderer lust spirit.


I don't drive , I haven't have much luck with that mode of transport , myself trying to learn to drive has included the car I was learning in being crashed into.

" I'm taking the car in to swap it for a new one "

You can guess what happened next can't you .....


Then on another lesson I clipped a kerb near a canal and I was made to help change the tyre , so ended my trying to learn to drive. I have other people to do it for I think of myself as

"Driving Miss Daisy "

So cycling is where I'm at and I have my Pashley it's not cheap it would buy 7 bicycles for people but a bicycle with a basket is what I desired . So I set my mind to this but I couldn't win one I really did try but to no avail, so I obtained one through my works cycle scheme , I don't earn enough to get the tax benefit from it. I am paying for it monthly through my wages and it's all mind , it has a sweetie shop bell to die for.

I can't swim so cycling is my salvation , I'd like a racer again like I did in my childhood but I'll pay for this first and then work on that idea. Today I cycled down the lane dinging my bell and I couldn't be happier , I can ding to my hearts content , whilst I am cycling all the troubles melt away and to be corny.

I count my blessings , as there as those who are less fortunate than I .

Cycling is a celebration of my being , of how far I have come and how far I will go .


I just want to have the privilege to ride my bicycle always .

Monday 16 November 2015

A Cat Doesn't Do Politics



A cat doesn't do politics , a cat doesn't care who you are as long as you're kind , they can sense things cats. Cats don't have an agenda except to do what they darn well please. Humanity doesn't have a glass ceiling it really shouldn't , we should all be one sadly we're not. 

That doesn't stop me though , I'll do what I can to grease the wheels of humanity playing my part, I wish I could do more but what I do counts.

Compassion greases the clogs of humanity , it goes beyond sentiment ~ humanity makes us tick.

There are those who miss this tick of humanity.

I've selective hearing So I'm just listening for the tick of humanity.

Friday 13 November 2015

Balancing On The Edge

What keeps me tipping form the edge ?

Friendship is what keeps me tipping from over the edge and I really couldn't do with the friendships I have to calm and steady me.

And my bicycle I love my bicycle it is my brand new shiny Pashley Sovereign Nad I love it it has given me a new lease of life, though I have yet to cycle it up the hill or down it I am a bit too nervous for that year. It is the weight of a baby elephant but I love it , you see it is the little snippets of joy that get me through the day.

It has taken me so long to relax down and even though I am still on high alert I am jolly well better than I was , still it can take me 2  to 3 hours of a morning not to feel angst.

Friendship is a need.


Thursday 12 November 2015

Blogging Old Guard

I've had this title here for a while and I had no idea what to write still if I'm completely honest , a lot has changed in the nearly 5 years I've been blogging . I gave seen many changes with many indeed making blogging their career , blogging as a career for me isn't feasible not unless it is going to give me a steady income month in month out.

Social media can consume you if you let it , I have in the past tried to be something I am not and crumbled into a pile of dust. Social media can make everything SO unattainable but at the same time within your reach.

Blog it

Blog it

Instagram it

Vlog it

Periscope it

Stumbleupon

Reddit

Facebook it

Pinterest it 


How will you know I have eaten unless I instagram it.


The old masters painted the food didn't they now.


I am writing this as today, I feel consumed and I want a break not days, weeks or months but just a bit of time that is carved out for me , where I can do as I wish and train my brain to do as it once did which was really think.

Pah and now Cinderella won't download on Sky and the cat is being a cat doing what the hell it likes ....






Tuesday 10 November 2015

Choosing A Christmas Present For The Awkward (me)

The older I have got the more awkward I have got although I probably have always been awkward with a poetic licence involved , Christmas presents I like to be useful . I know it is the jot and receiving and all that but I am very practical indeed get a pair of fluffy slippers and you have the idea.




Christmas Slippers
It's SO fluffy slippers £20



I know they are mens slipper s but I really can't be doing with bows and bloody silly pom poms on my slippers ( bah slipper humbug )





There is nothing wrong when it comes to practically when it comes to Christmas I once knew a couple who gave each other a shed for Christmas then again their cat was called Colin ( which is a good practical no nonsense name for a cat )




I think awkward really is perhaps code for practical , I am practical for instance I am in need of a good umbrella , yes this one has frills on it , but oh the Parisian elegance for when I am strolling the cafe strewn streets of Paris Derby




A Pretty Umbrella
Umbrella £22.50



A fluffy robe is a good choice for me , though whilst you are buying that for me "OOOh was that a Spa day for 2 that slipped in to the basket ? , am I taking you , no I am taking my good friend Jane "

Fluffy Robe For Christmas
Champneys men's robe £25


Tea is the absolute start middle and end to my tea , I love tea , tea tea the world revolves round tea.


"Tea will never judge you
Tea understands"

Alice In Wonderland Tea Pot
Alice Tea Pot £35



Disclosure all pictures used with permission ~ no payments have been given * IT's STUFF I want

Further disclosure I will of course review a Spa with no trouble ...... 

Friday 6 November 2015

Picking Up My Mywanwy




I will try again to pick up my posh Pashley bicycle tomorrow we had a saddle malfunction yesterday but all good things must wait  , the bicycle is called Myfanwy ooooh the adventures we will have . I tried with all my heart and soul to win a bicycle with a basket and the need for a basket wasn't spurred on by the 5p carrier bag tax I may be thrifty but I am not that tight. You will have read how much I love the poem Meaney and it is a truly beautiful poem and yes it was immortalised in a David Essex song as well.

I shall be bombarding you all with pictures of my beloved bicycle as I hither too dilly up and down the lanes where I live , capturing the beauty of the country side as I go . I shall liken myself to one of those fantastic National geographic reporting photographers that see and show the world in such a ebglightening way , the world is beautiful we just to show it and explore it more ( and not build on it as much !)


The world of Pashley is huge and their is an arhantypical romance with older bicycles , it suddenly has a steady frame and I shall be slow and steady on old Myfanwy and give a polite and regal waves as I go by to people. They do T-shirts and jackets ( I shall be fitting in the jacket though I might after the price of Myfanwy ) though it was through the cycle to work scheme other wise I couldn't have justified the price .





Beauty is my bicycle.






Sunday 1 November 2015

Let Me Be Wrapped Up In Autumn

Same place different view .



Love on the Autumn bend ushering the colour love through.


I was dreading the Autumn nights when it goes really dark a little after 5 pm but the early morning colours of Autumn and the warmth of the pictures I take make that a little more bearable. The colours of Autumn are amazing the floor is awash with layers of colour.

Summer aspects now leaves blow through , blogging the ultimate golden view.

Friday I'll be sorting out Myfawney the bicycle with a basket and a ding ding bell.

Yesterday I went back to choir , it's a toe dip back into normality but yell I've always bucked the trend when it has come to this. It's 50 something days to Christmas but I wasn't prepared to start singing Christmas carols but that we did , tad early but there you go. Wehad to sing "Mistletoe and wine "

" Can we see something cheery after please "

Silence 

Death stare

( think my cards are marked )

I'm pretty sure I'm living my life or am I waiting till something more interesting comes along and ooh yes then I'll have to blog it ( tongue firmly in cheek on that one )

Friday 30 October 2015

Throwing The Baby Bird Out The Nest

It's finally happened.

My teen has a better social life than me ~ in fact they've a better social / work life balance than me.

Awesome parenting I put it down to and perhaps old fashioned rules.

For example he's only seen the podcast talks on Game of Thrones on YouTube his YouTube is restricted . However now he's 17 he been given the option to watch Game of Thrones.

You see it's a good cop / bad cop parenting situation ~ I'm the only female in the house even the cats are male. Mrs Robinson has tried to strangle me on numerous occasions ~ Mrs Robinson is the car ,Mrs Robinson loves my husband but hates me . She has tried to strangle me with the seat belt.

Parenting is like trying to throw the baby bird out the nest.

I'm the one that dropped him crying at beavers and made myself and my husband run away , tough love but with a care .

After all those years of saying 

" put your coat on "

He's brought one with his own money a trendy wool one from Zara.

And that's it he's out on his own into town during the day with friends and he's a quiet like me.

Friends make you , he feels part of something it taken a long time .

But I was part of that . My husband was part of that. Our family is part of that guidance.



Wednesday 28 October 2015

The Friendly Introvert

We've become offended over what we control.

Fair play to Princess Leia if she can ( pardon my French kick a s s while wearing a bikini.)


I played all characters when I played Star Wars it was fun , I think I was always in control of myself as a child to a certain extent but I think my confidence did take a knock later on in life. I remember playing Snow White when I was 5 ( typecasting I am sure ) as I had bobbed hair  I gave a rousing performance , but when it came to that kiss I lifted my legs and pushed the boy away going "I don't think so  "


Described as a Tom boy ~ it was the 70's it was ok then.


Now it is empowerment.

Being equal on a equal stage.



Introvert empowerment as we are seen as still under represented in certain areas , there is never an even split in life but that doesn't stop us striving putting our stamp on the world . It doesn't matter who it is we should all strive and my confidence is growing but not with real life people but with on line friends odd but that in turn will give me confidence in the real world.


At school I aligned myself with the geeks , the computer crowd the role playing gamers and they were / are some of the best friends I had /have. And having friends is very important I have choice friends who really get me and my humour and my humour is a patch ( I was going to say for my insecurities but being a friendly introvert isn't an insecurity it is a super power )


Yes I am an introvert and I am proud of it.


An introvert can have and will have dreams.

I'm a friendly introvert.

That's ok.

I'll look for exits if I'm in company but that's ok as I'm the friendly introvert.

I am an introvert and my name is Claire.


If you speak to me I most likely won't take a compliment and an criticism depending on how it is dealt out will see me crumble like a deck of cards, it's not that I don't like compliments but is the inability to handle them . Somehow if I accept a compliment I feel I don't deserve it and will battle against it adding in a put down to myself.


I was at my son's rugby games and one of the boys was complimented by the coach on his game , the boy then went on to say but I didn't do this I could of done this that and the other


The coach said "Just take the compliment "


This is something we should all do more of take the compliment I am going to try and do this .




Kind Regards

The friendly introvert

P.s Is that ok ?

PPS Are you sure ?

Tuesday 27 October 2015

Black Cat Day

I've a black cat when Jack was a kitten he was the devil , you walked into a room to look got him and you'd look to find a kitten swinging on the curtains like Tarzen. He's dependable , solid like a tank but when he plays you have to fetch his toys , he comes in through the cat flap but leaves via the front door.


He's Jack.


He's Jack Black.

Likes this cat food one minute then he doesn't , likes being fed treat by my husband only, thinks he's a parrot.




He's Jack.


He's Jack Black.


You can play cat toy buckeroo with him. You have to check boxes before you recycle them.






Jack will warm the bed for you .



Jack is black , Jack is Jack Black.

Jack is family.

Monday 26 October 2015

Washington D.C Metro

This August saw us going to Washington D.C as a family previously all the places we had travelled to we had somehow avoided travelling on their equivalent of the underground . Who knows why I suspect it's down to my husband wanting to see the lie of the land and saving pennies, hence when we went to New York we walked every where. In fact the last time we used any type of subterranean transportation abroad was when we went to romantic Paris 25 years ago , and that was every bit as romantic as I hoped it would be.



I thought the architecture of the Metro in Washington was quite reminsistic of brutalist architecture it was if the South Bank of London had indeed seem in the veins of the transport system. I loved it where as Mr T couldn't see the beauty of it but we all see the world differently which just shows us how amazing us human beings are.



As Washington D.C is very vast and especially hot in summer you'll be glad to get out the heat.



I'm looking to exploring the underground transport systems of other countries, you can learn so much from a country s underground.

Saturday 24 October 2015

Saturday Caption Day The Cat Edition



You'll have seen this before as Jack is rather an expressive cat obsessed with cake , ice cream and yogurt. Anything you consume of that nature will be met with this look. Cats are so very expressive and very funny , pretty sure my family would have a dog. However I prefer cats having had cats since childhood and I did have one cat called Boots ( not name after the Chemist) who was was very much like a dog. Nope we aren't getting one either I can't be fussed with the walking etc etc . I'm a cat person through and through.

My ultimate cat breed would be a Sianese which I think are awfully noisy but I work in an Infant School so noise is par for the course.




Friday 23 October 2015

Friend ,Friends, Friendship

I'm sitting here as the last rays of light hit the roof tops as Autumn rolls in the dark nights leaves strewn all about



seeing the sky melt away into a midnight galaxy of stars strewn quilt.


Thinking of friends , past present and future.


Grateful for what I have , grateful for what I had grateful of yet to come.




Friends or friend it is the number that doesn't matter.


It is being part of the fabric knowing you are being.



Thursday 22 October 2015

Phillips Viva Collection Compact Juicer

I was offered the opportunity review a Phillips  Viva Collection Compact juicer which was a very refreshing opportunity , I'll be honest I have never used a juicer before in my life. I have seen them being used I was intrigued the other year when I was a Champney's Spa in Hampshire and I was in their cafe watching the industrial juicer being used. The juicer is as the name suggest compact and indeed doesn't really take up any space , this is a juicer that is perfect for one or a couple , indeed a family if only a couple of people want to use it.



The juicer performs extremely well : and there was no bits in any other the juices that I tried , it whizz through the ingredients with absolutely no trouble. Juicers do have a reputation for being hard to clean but this one is quick to clean, so you 'll be juicing drinking have no worries about a nightmare clean ( as this isn't). This juicer is easy to take apart then put part together again after you have cleaned it.



There are a couple of downsides to the juicer nothing major , as the juicer is compact the feeding tube isn't very big resulting in you having to chop up the fruit or vegetables a bit more. SO if you going to be juicing a lot of apples or beetroots you are going to have to do a little bit more chopping than you might of expected to.

The juicer can contain 1.5 litres of juice before the pulp container becomes full, included is a 500 ml jug so it will of course fill three of these. There are so many juice combinations you will easily find recipes on websites and on apps etc.


You will have to peel the fruit before you put it in but this is a small I convince for refreshing juice at the end of the day. The instructions will clearly telly you what you can't put in it fibrous fruit for example like a banana.


I enjoyed using the juicer and can't wait to see the what difference it makes to my health as I am a devil for not eating much fruit sometimes.





Disclosure I was sent this for review all opinions are honest and my own.








Tuesday 20 October 2015

Spiced Tea Chocolate Egg Free Cake





It 8.33 and I am bored and the dust is collecting on the shelves I simply must dust but instead I am gripped by the need the absolute need to bake a cake. I can bake cakes if there are square or in a loaf tin and one day ( been saying this for years I will bake my nemesis ) the Victoria Sponge.



Ingredients


Preheat the oven to

2 cups of plain flour = 240 grams I believe

1 bottle of sweet tea or iced tea ( mine was spiced )


1 cup of drinking chocolate = 120 grams

2 teaspoons of baking powder.

1 cup of coconut sugar = 120grams or adjust caster sugar to needs



Method

It would be a good idea to sieve the flour in.


After which just plonk everything together.


Having greased a 21lb loaf tin.

Spoon the mixture in .


Bake on 180c for 40 minutes . Do the knife test to check it's cooked all the way through.


You could omit some tea drink and add a little oil if concerned about moistness.

The icing comes pre made from the co op and is salted caramel.

Monday 19 October 2015

Green's Lemon Cup Cake mix


Well here it is the Green's Cupcake mix note the word 'EASY' in the corner. A sure indication I could do no wrong.

Yes I should have added the mix first.

Surely it couldn't continue to go wrong for me could it?


I used a spoon to mix it together though I think a electric whisk would have served me better. i spooned the mixture in the cupcake cases and waited 12 minutes till they were ready. I eagerly opened the oven to bouncy cupcakes....



On reflection i really should have put the cases in a cake tin as well. Well the frosting couldn't go wrong as well could it?


Taaaaaaa Dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Cupcakes with swirled butter icing.

The sponge was lovely, the middle was esquisate I just should have followed the instructons more carefully.


RRP : £2.15




( Disclosure I was sent this mixture to try... Sorry Green's ) I promise to go buy the Strawberry one to redeem myself.)

Goodness Gracious Great Meatballs Meatloaf

I was getting rather bored of just meatballs with this that or the other I felt I was going round and round in circles with them, but then I was struck by a light of culinary genius . I thought why not combine the meatballs with the stuffing , I was going to add some sausage meat but some helpful person who shall remain nameless put them in the freezer i.e. the husband.






Ingredients

Meatball

Packet of stuffing ( I used Quixo from Aldi )

Cup of water

2 Tbsp of barbecue sauce.

1 egg


Method

Preheat the oven to 160 c

Grease a 2lb loaf tin

In a bowl squish togteher all the meat balls

Next tip in the stuffing.

Add add 1 tbsp  barbecue sauce.

Give a heart mix anything and place with the greases loaf tin.


Press down and place in the oven for an hour * allow for your oven






The meatloaf was very 

Disclosure Thank to Aldi for giving me the shopping vouchers for this , and thanks to to the husband who forgot the sausages in the freezer. And the cat just sat in his shoe box doing nothing as per usual.



Friday 16 October 2015

Taking My Leaf From Knitting Club





I thought I'd play hookey from knitting club and have a rustle in the leaves and clear my head , I still having got over my knitting rage ( I'm struggling with my knitting ) . I'm sure when I return to knitting club I'll have my new knitting needles , I've never been overly crafty but I'm jolly well having a go. Soon it will be half term ( big cheers , lets off fireworks and drinks wine )



My walk home from school took me to the nature reserve then into the woods , I want to say deep dark woods but they were glowing with leaves of fire. Up the leaf strewn steps , to the patchwork carpet of gold , copper , yellow orange Ooooh the colours.



Not your usual walk but I not like the ordinary , I'll go out of my way to add a jingle and a jangle to my day. I live near the countryside and you'll see how much I love the outdoors from my Instagram.





After a hearty walk and knowing my son would be heading off to rugby training then I thought a good meal was in order , luckily Aldi had sent me some vouchers to try some of their range. I decided that tonight we would try their Beef Wellington priced at £9.99 , neither myself or my son are ones for pastry but this Beef Wellington pastry was another matter.





An empty plate says it all really doesn't it now?!



I have to say the Beef Wellington isn't one of those frozen meals you think oh no on it is geuinally worth the £9.99 and the actually beef doesn't taste cheap ether it is literally melt in the mouth.


Disclosure~ Nature provided the spectacular Autumn, Aldi kindly provided me with some vouchers to try some of their range .