Tuesday 30 October 2012

The Purrfect Outfit for a cat blogger !

What better outfit for a cat blogger with Halloween coming than this !


Dahlia Fashion Cat Skirt
The Purrfect outfit for a cat blogger.

I have the cats:


Moody Cat
Evil Rollie the Silver Tabby!







Black cat at Sureflap Mirco chip cat flap
Jack Black the cat!


You will find this outfit over at Dahlia Fashion.



Universe its where you go to learn ..

I have two funnies this week one from school and one form my home .

First at school I was confronted by a four year who stated

"I just saw the teacher leaving"

Me "Oh they must be going for their lunch"

"No No NO they are going to the Universe!"


"The Universe??" I asked never never under estimate a four year old they are a dangerous creature.


"They have gone to the Universe to help people, it where big boys and girls learn" They said very happy with themselves.

"You mean the University!"


"NO NO NO NO the Universe" at this point the child was exhibiting a death stare.. I backed down. It was more that my life was worth.


The second funnee this week was catching my husband drying up from the dishwasher.


"Why oh why are you drying up from the dishwasher?" 

"Because you don't know what residue is left on them" He said.

"I said you don't need to the instructions don't say you have to " I replied biting my lip and trying not to roll my eyes.

"The instructions DON"T tell you to put the items away do they now"

*Sigh I left him to it.

So while Rollie the evil cat is having issues learning to use the new cat flap I left it to my husband to teach the cat to use it. When his arms had finally stopped bleeding I quiped up " I bet the instructions din't mention that would happen now did they "

Rollie the cat doesn't need instructions.

Train of thought ! #HalfTermFood





Half term that period of time when you do battle with the evil that is the fridge monster it runs down the stairs reaches it grubby paws into the fridge and snatches "goodies" that retreats back to it lair. Any interaction with the fridge monster is dangerous and you do so at your peril. Show them a carrot and they sniff it feverishly and thow it back into the vegetable/salad draw where a lonely cherry tomato is speared .. RIP Mr Cherry Tomato.


The lair of the fridge monster.


Now we are a busy  hectic household so meal planning is necessary for us both because of budget constraints and the other because of time. Now my meal planning recently has been helped by Aunt Bessies though I do need Aunt Bessie to help me with my lack of direction and organising whilst taking a train. *insert Twilight music *

Picture the scene I was at St Pancras station obviously there to catch a train , whilst I noticed two girls who were in all seriousness looking for platform 9 3/4 from Harry Potter . They asked a guard who looked bemused and pointed them in the direction of the correction station which is Kings Cross. "Tssk" how can anyone be so so silly I checked the board to make sure I got on the correct train it said Platform 2 so off I toddled and got on the train I sat there and thought this is a bit quiet but I was early so no problems. Big thumbs up for me .. then I noticed a guard making hand signals and gestures at me. I waved back he made more gestures at me .. I waved again. then he slowed down the gestures :

Pointing at me: translated as OI you get off that Bl**dy train.


Finger extended while the others were in a fist: translated As move NOW!


Hand moving up and down in a jumping motion: Translated as jump off the train.


So I moved off the train in a dignified fashion the guard met me .


"Oh was I on the wrong train?"


After I explain what train I was aiming for he pointed at the correct train .. last I saw off him was being buried under a group of snap happy Japanese tourists.


This train journey fared better than the last one where I was sitting on the train and it separated and I ended up at the wrong station. One friend suggested I had a Paddington Bear style tag made as I have a habit of getting lost on public transport.




Paddington Bear label
A blogger "Paddington Bear" style label.


Anyway make to my meal planning:



So this is what my meal plan looks like for the week so far:
Monday: Chicken wrapped in bacon with Aunt Bessies Yorkshires and Aunt Bessies Carrot, Swede & Parsnip with a honey & thyme glaze.


Aunt Bessies Yorkshires
Chicken wrapped in bacon and Aunt Bessies Yorkshires.

Wednesday: Sloppy Joes Burger with salad 

Thursday:  Aunt Bessies home cook chicken casserole with our own sausagemeat stuffing. Though you can adapt this recipe I have managed to do so by adding honey and adding two packets of the stew in the slow cooking and adjusting the amount of water needed. You also add one tablespoon of honey during cooking.





There will be other back up meals from  Aunt Bessies freezer to the cupboard as we are always having trot off to one of my sons many sporting commitments so a contingency plan is always needed. And in this family we are all partial to toad in the hole!


This post is an entry for the #halftermfood Linky on BritMums.

Saturday 27 October 2012

Vajazzle me ......

When I read that Dame Judi Dench had ,had a vajazzle I thought my goodness . The mere idea of *whispers the lady garden area been made sparkly and all glitterly* smacked of (no offence very "Towie")


Perhaps I am living in a beautification black hole. It seems a vajazzle is a sparkly sticker one up from those stick on tattoos You had as a child.


Can't say I am going to have one anytime soon.

Saturday Caption #satcap 27/10/2012


Friday 26 October 2012

Cats Cats Cats


Jack the cat obviously enjoys thinking in the box. And quite frankly who can blame him?
Whilst Rollie sits on the box it was suggested Rollie was looking less sinister no think "Village of the dammned" and thats Rollie.
They have spent the week bringing in field mice,hiding and climbing ladders and washing up.



















Thursday 25 October 2012

Black Cat Day #CPBlackCats.

"The humble black cat is often over looked  just look at this blog for example and see who's ugly mug is up there , yes its Rollie the one who is all fuzzy wuzzy and looks cute . Well he's not he a cold hearted killer I put my paws up in the air and say it wasn't me that bought a field mouse in the house. I told Rollie no that's a naughty thing to do but he wouldn't listen because he's a little git  horror. People just fall into those big saucer eyes of his but I tell you this he's rubbish at hide and seek"



Can you spot the Black cat ?

"Apparently I am not allowed to say please adopt the Silver Tabby .... shame that really "



"But instead please give a thought to adopting a black cat we are really cute, cuddly and we are ace at hide and seek"

Did you know that black cats are often overlooked by potential adopters and that they spend longer in our care than most other cats?
It’s so unfair! We think black cats are wonderful so if you are thinking about getting a cat please consider one of the 1,400 black cats we have in our care right now.

You can join the fun via social media;

Facebook - www.facebook.com/catsprotection 
Twitter - www.twitter.com/catsprotection 
Google+ - https://plus.google.com/u/0/114747527960016950297

You can also download our fun National Black Cat Day resources for your social media profile - Click here

To show your support on social media, download and use our National Black Cat Day mask avatar - Download



Black Cats Rule !



If you would like to adopt a black cat, find your local branch - Click here






Monday 22 October 2012

Rage against the machine

Not your usual chirpy Monday morning post.. abusers/bullies  can in all shapes and form. Mental abuse can be just as cruel and bring you to your knees.

They look normal to the to the eye but the can wield an almighty power of mental abuse with seeks to destroy you through the years. You seek reconciliation for past troubles believing you can put in all behind you you say as such.

 They say "Do you think its worth it?"

You say" why yes .."

"They say " Because I don't"

You try and toe an even balanced line they wield power again.


"You have harboured a grudge since not coming to your wedding 15 years ago"

You "Say The past is in the past"

They say " I have rage against you , I cannot say what I'd like to do to you"


You say" I am sorry you want to hurt me"

They say " And I still haven't got a picture of your wedding... You could send me one and an apology letter for the last 15 years "


You say " I have to go now my tea is getting cold"

You sob and remember you can be such a better parent than your Dad.







Friday 19 October 2012

Forever Autumn #snaphappyBritmums


The tea time Club Our "Breakfast Club"

Were  you good at school ?

Were you the rebel ?

Did you wear short skirts ? ( that wasn't the regulation inch above the knee)?


Just so the boys don't feel left out : Did you wear your tie with the thin bit showing ?


Hmmmmm?


I had detention once .. I know a complete shock to you ! I will wait a moment while you sit and compose yourself.

Ready?

I forgot my Maths homework one day one I was 13 .

I'll set the scene I went to an upper school ( where in Bedford  the schooling goes like this 5-9 , 9-13, 13-18)

My school was posh it was an ex grammar school  I studied Latin and the school had its own rowing team etc.

It was a good school till the Tories shut it down, I am still having therapy for Margaret Thatcher stopping my milk.
Thatcher put a sad end to being a milk monitor.


The Detention

The detention was taken by the demonic Maths teacher known as "Nutty Nun" rumours were she was  an ex Nun. Various people were at the dentention we were all disimilar in character we were yet to form a unity. The situation was smilar to that of the greatest ever dentention on earth that of the the greatest dention film ever " Breakfast Club"



"Dear Mr. Vernon: We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it is we did wrong, but we think you're crazy for making us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms in the
most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an
athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours,The Breakfast Club."


I could not liken myself  to the Princess character " Molly Ringwald " that was the pretty blond girl in my detention. I was the brain "Hall " the lone wolf in an alien world that was dentention. There was the  sports star "Emilo Estervez" who was there for forgetting his PE kit. There was the criminal  who was always lifting sweets from Tuck shop. The basket case was in improper use of Latin verbs/ drawing on their excercise book  who knows ?

These titles identified our roles within the fabric of our school lives.. Because of stereotypes and status levels associated with each role, We wanted  want nothing to do with each other at the outset of the  dentention. ) and by two hours of time we had to kill, we the students begin to interact. 

Through self-disclosure we as the " Tea-Tine Club" learn we were more similar than different. We each wrestled with self-acceptance; each longed for parental approval; each fought against peer pressure. We broke break through the role barriers and gain greater understanding and acceptance of each other and of themselves. We ultimately developed a group identity and dubbed themselves, "The Tea Time Club."

So forever our school days were an un written nod of approva,l when ever our paths crossed in the corridors of power that was school.

Thursday 18 October 2012

Halloween Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes #wwback2best



These cupcakes are ideal when you need a chocolate lift and this gorgeous cupcakes certainly hit the spot. You will feel as if you have really indulged yourself yet they are only 4 Propoints values each!


Which is great for me as I am on the Propoints programme and I can share with my family and I don't feel as if I am missing out.


Ingredients


175g (6 oz) fresh cherries
25g ( 1oz) cocoa,sifted
150 g (5 1/2 oz) self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
100g ( 3 1/2 oz) dark brown sugar
75g (2 3/4 oz) low fat spread
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
150g (5 1/2 oz) virtually fat- free natural yogurt
100g ( 31/2 oz) low fat cheese
15g ( 1/2 oz) icing sugar


1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180c/fan oven to 160c and line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.

2. Start by stoning the cherries: if you have a olive pitter, this works really well on cherries too. Otherwise, place the cherries on a chopping board and roll over them with a rolling pin to crush them lightly, then squeeze out the stones. Reserve six cherries , halved , to decorate then chop up the rest of the cherries roughly.

3. Reserve 2 teaspoons of the cocoa to make the frosting, then sift the rest of the cocoa, the flour and the bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, low fat spread egg, vanilla and yogurt and beat together with an electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Stir the chopped cherries into the mixture then divide between the paper cake cases.

4. Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 15-18 minutes until the cupcakes are well risen and springy in the centre.

5. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

6. For the Frosting, beat the cheese together with icing sugar and the reserved cocoa. Spread on the cooled cupcakes then top each one with a half cherry.


As teen doesn't like cherries I omitted these you can find this recipe here ...



( Thank you for Weigh Watcher letting me reproduce this recipe)






No need to be sacred about your weight this Halloween!


Weight Watchers Chocolate Cupcake #wwback2best
3T3QEJYS76RX

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Old " Love " #Gallery


With how the weather has been recently it not been the weather to keep wearing my  summer clothes really not that at my age I would be wearing the tight shorts and skirt of my youth. You know when it was cool to wear black tights underneath denim shorts and high top trainers. 

It was raining yet again when has it not stopped raining ! I am not at all down beat about the rain .. yes I would like some sun especially as I am taking a UK holiday soon which cost as much as a  foreign holiday. I normally go to far flung places but for the last two years I have stayed with the UK though my feet as getting somewhat twitchy.

I  needed to go out food shopping or some other mundane task like dusting, hoovering and finally putting the sealant round the bath that Mr T hasn't got round to yet.

Reaching into my pocket of my rain coat I pulled on a plastic puzzle the sort you would find in a good Christmas cracker but it was modern it was 1950's in style and make. Somewhat quirky , a fun little item that on closer inspection was made in England.

It was an item from my childhood My grandparents used to give it to me to keep me amused I loved it, it was pure joy to me much more than the electronic toys that beckoned to me. I had not seen it since my grandad had died  so sadness and elation combined. You can have all the tea in china as they say but for me simplicity of a cheap toy can provide the trigger of memories forever.

Old joy  with a simple slide puzzle.

Pumpazing fun!


Pumpazing is a fun filled game from Drummond Park that will have the whole family involved.


It's hectic, breathless active fun with hilarious sounds for pre-schoolers.
Watch your zingers go flying with Pumpazing! It's a pass-the parcel style game where players compete to shoot colourful Zinger heads from the toothsome Zingy unit, by pumping his arms as fast as they can! Each Zinger launched makes a wonderful whizzy noise - but if the screeching buzzer sounds when you have hold of Zingy, it means you've lost a life!


Contents

Four coloured Zinger heads and Zingy.

Object of the game 

There are two versions of the game which you can play with Zingy one is the simple ' starter' version of the game, little children take it in turn- pass -the-parcel style - to pump Zingy's arms as fast and furiously as they can until Zingy shouts "Zing" or "boing" and one of the Zingers comes flying off. Then it's on to the next player as fast as they can! But if Zingy says :Uh Oh" as the Zinger shoots across the room, the player is out.

The person who hangs onto the most of his or her four lives ends up the winner!


Older children will enjoy playing the full version of the game, where they start of with an allocation of Zingy cards, depending on the number of children playing. But watch out, Zingy can't wait to catch them out when they least expect it, he's bursting to take away their cards! Because if Zingy says "Uh-Oh", they lose a card and they just never know when he's going to do it. Its a manic, crazy pump to the last with scream of joy and elation there will be frustration but then come triumph. The last player with a life card left is the winner.

The game retails at £19.99 and as ever is available from all good stockists.


Disclosure ( I was sent this for review all thoughts words and opinions are my own)


I didn't come down in the last shower

Bloggers must maintain a professional calm so I have tried sitting on my hands so I didn't type something but....


I didn't come down in the last shower......









I am certainly no mug ...







Contrary to belief I do have a heart ....






I stumbled upon this hilarious blog post which pretty much sums up how I feel ... And I think ..


That sometimes... I can't ...


"Damn it ..."

I want to tell people who think they can sneak free content up on me without full disclosure to ....


"FECK Go away "

So Dear ( insert name of choice ) a kind word in your shell ..

Us bloggers are like ...

Bloggers look after each other.


Tuesday 16 October 2012

Pataks Curry flavour & Apricot Chicken Recipe

It has just been National curry week from the 8-14 October but don't stop having your curries they are for any time. They are a quick and simple dish suitable for all the family and its the one time that I don't have to go and cook my son something separate for eat. We all enjoy this dish  and its mild enough it doesn't blow my teens head off and as we all know teens can be hot headed at the best of times !

The not so humble curry is Britain's best loved dish - 73  % of Brits say they loved a curry and almost a quarter ( 24 %) name it as their absolute favourite food.


Pataks have launched a nationwide search to find Britain's biggest curry nut to become Patks's Official Curry Taster 2012. The winning candidate will be the voice of the nation when it comes to tasting curry and helping shape the future of the Patak's brand.


If you are crazy for Jalfrezi, drool over Dopiaza or fancy yourself as a Rogan Nosher then you are the prefect candidate for Patak's serch for Britain's biggest curry lover. You don't need any formal qualifications to apply, you just need to convince the Pataks panel of judges that your passion for curry knows no bounds and that you are Britain's biggest curry fan.



Pataks Oven Biryani served with Naan Bread.


This was a simple dish to prepare and saves me a trip to the local takeaway! I much prefer kowing what has actually gone into my takeaway!


There are many recipes on the Pataks site I would choose the below dish for those intimate child free moments * pencils in such an occasion * 

Apricot Chicken - Indian Style ( Knubani Murgh)


  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 200g onions, sliced
  • 450g chicken, diced
  • 3 tbsp Patak's Balti Curry Paste
  • 200g canned chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp single cream
  • 150g dried apricots, chopped
  • 150ml water
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 1tbsp/5g sugar



    1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions for 2 minutes.
    2. Add the Patak's Balti Paste together with the chicken and fry for 3 minutes to seal the meat.  Add the chopped tomatoes and dried apricots and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked (add a little water if necessary).
    3. Finally add the cream and gently heat for a further 2 minutes.
    4. Garnish with the fresh coriander and serve with rice and Naan breads


    (Disclosure I was sent a number of Pataks products to try all words and thoughts are my own , the recipe is printed with kind permission from Pataks )