Day Four - Your Parents.

Here they are.  The best parents in the world.  Nuff said.

Blogging Challenge Day Three - Your First Love

I fell in love a lot back in the day. If I'm truly honest I can fall in love about 25 times a day - well - I USED to... I'm a one man gal these days however, much to the utter bemusement of my friends.

My earliest love affair was with Jamie Skinner. He was rakishly thin, wore national health glasses, suffered from scabby knees with alarming regularity and seemingly had a permanent cold. But I loved him. And he tolerated me more than all the other girls in the playground which OBVIOUSLY meant that he secretly loved me too! What can I say? Even at five years old I was a flirt!! ;)

My first school girl pop idol crush was this man:



There's been plenty of schoolgirl crushes since then I can tell you!  You can have a listen to the swoonsome David if you like.  Ahh the good ole 70s!!   Daydreamer is a perfect description of me actually.  See - Me and Dave..(*sighs*)  ..... made for each other we were!!

Blog Challenge Day Two - The Meaning of Your Blog Name

Peapod Ponderings came about, quite simply, because Peapods is the name of my house, and because I love alliteration, Ponderings just seemed to gel! 

The name 'Peapods' was inspired by a book I read years ago.  Just a bit of chick-lit fluff really, but the name of one of the houses stuck with me.  Our house is a teeny tiny, two down, three up (if you can call the L-shaped cupboard which serves as my son's bedroom a room) Council house  It's really not big enough for a family but we get by, bursting at the seams and about to pop - like a peapod.  But we 'peas' are comfy and happy here.

On the peapod theme - I have to show you this.  I adore candles so to find one made especially for me (!!!) is wonderful!!  Lookit!!!   

I found it  here - and how hilarious that you can actually buy the 'pea' candle refills for it too!! 

Ridiculously expensive but such fun!!  I've hidden my debit card from myself just in case I'm tempted!  Like Mae West, I can resist anything but temptation!!  ;)

Back Again!

Hi folks.

My apologies for the short interlude between posts.  I shall say "Bloody Laptop".  And leave it at that, quite frankly!!

Coupled with technical hitches, I've been having a bit of a 'blog-blank' lately.  I love updating my little portal of madness but sometimes feel that I blather on about absolute twaddle which is of absolutely no interest to anyone.  Well.... guess what?

Yup.

There's more of the same on its way!! mwahahahahahaha!!

HAH!!

I was over at Meggs' blog recently and I hope she'll excuse me for shamelessly copying her blogging theme suggestions which should at least give me some food for thought - and my brave, dear readers some more blather to read!! 

Here are the 30 Day blogging theme challenges:-

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts



Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name


Day 3-Your first love


Day 4-Your parents


Day 5-Your siblings


Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy


Day 7-Favorite movies


Day 8-A place you've traveled to


Day 9-A picture of your friends


Day 10-Something you're afraid of


Day 11-Favorite TV shows


Day 12-What you believe


Day 13-Goals


Day 14-A picture you love


Day 15-Bible verse Ahem.  Don't 'do' Bible stuff.  I shall substitute something meaningful to me.


Day 16-Dream house


Day 17-Something you're looking forward to


Day 18-Something you regret


Day 19-Something you miss


Day 20-Nicknames


Day 21-Picture of yourself


Day 22-Favorite city


Day 23-Favorite vacation holiday


Day 24-Something you've learned


Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs ( I don't have an iPod.  I shall be shuffling my Blackberry instead!!)


Day 26-Picture of your family


Day 27-Pets


Day 28-Something that stresses you out


Day 29-3 Wishes


Day 30-a picture

So.  Here we go then with the introduction ... *deep breath*.... I'm 43 years old.  I have two beautiful children; my daughter, Zara, who is 16, and my son, Tyler, who is 12.   They are both taller than me.  This is a source of constant amusement to them.  I'm not particularly short either at 5ft 5".  Pah!!  I live with them, and the love of my life, Charlie.  I love the three of them more than life itself.  I also live with three mentally challenged felines and three greedy, meddlesome bossy-beaks.   My life is complete!! (Apart from the dog I've been hankering after for about 20 years!).  I'm terribly overweight and have been for most of my life to varying degrees.  I blame the fact that I am under tall for this outrage.

A recent picture.  Erm.  Well I'm going to cheat and re-post this:



That's me!!  What you see is what you get!!

On to the 15 interesting things.  Hum.  This could be a very hard task!  I shall just call them "15 things".  Interesting is pushing it a little!

Ok here goes...

1.   I got my nose pierced when I was 40 years old.   I've wanted it done since I was about 16.   I was still scared to tell my Mum!!

2.   I got my tattoo on the inside of my wrist when I was 42.  I've wanted it done since I was about 16.  I was still scared to tell my Mum!! (are you seeing a theme here?!!).  This is it (sorry this is an old photo and it had only just been finished then hence the red bits!!) - >

My Nan's name was Ivy and I adored her.  This tendril of ivy is my personal tribute to her.  She's always with me.  Tattoos, however, are addictive and there are at least another four that I want to get.  Hopefully before I'm 50!

3.  I had a poem published in the Daily Mail.   I've written poetry for as long as I can remember.  Mostly for cathartic reasons, occasionally for a bit of fun.  This particular poem was a celebration/lament of turning 40,  Some friends of mine convinced me that I should send it somewhere and the Daily Mail accepted it!  I still can't believe that I was published in one of the dailies!!

4.  I've had two scrapbooking layouts published in scrapbooking magazines.   As someone who classes themselves as an extremely mediocre crafter (my mind's eye sees and plans wonderful creations.  my fingers create messes for mad dogs!) I was very proud of this 'achievement'.

5.  I have three cats - but I'm not a 'cat' person.  Don't get me wrong I would never wish them harm - but their abject lack of regard for anything in my garden drives me absolutely NUTS!!  They poo on every available outdoor space - when there's a 10 acre field out back!  WHY??? ARRGHHH!!  If' they're not pooing on things they're puking on things.  And coating everything in layers of cat hair.  I've had cats (plural) ever since I left home over 20 years ago. I am clearly as mad as a box of frogs.  Sigh.

6.  I've been going grey since I turned 21.  My regrowth after around three weeks post hair dye is completely white.   I have threatened my hairdresser that should I ever be run over by a bus and end up in a coma that she must attend on me and make sure that my hair is coloured regularly.  I cannot imagine the trauma of waking up from a coma to look in a mirror and find a white haired old lady looking back at me.  Tsk.  One must plan for such events.

7.  I've been colouring my hair since I turned 11.  It's been varying shades of red/copper/burgundy/

purple/black over the years but never blonde.  When I was 15 I coloured it with a "Crazy Colour" hair dye in Fuschia.  This was an ill-advised move to do this on the day prior to returning to school after the summer hols.  Only hiding my resultant bright pink mop behind the long velvet drapes in the school hall during assembly to prevent the streaming sunlight lighting up my head like a belisha beacon prevented my expulsion.

8.  Prior to leaving school I wanted to be a dog handler in the Police force but my lack of fitness prevented me from doing so.  I also wanted to become a Social Worker.  The years of study and training put me off.  I regret it to this day.  The one thing I swore blind that I'd never do was work in an office.  I have been doing exactly that for the last 27 sodding years.

9.  I adore shoes. The funkier, girlier and more outlandish the better.  I adore high heels.  ADORE them.  I feel absolutely horrible when I wear flats but with my stature and build they're a necessary evil.  Shame I can't bliddy wear the hooker shoes I lust after - but I can admire them from afar!  I do have lots of pairs of heels, however, that I wear when I know I'm going to be sitting down all night.

10.  I passed my driving test first time when I was 18 years old.  I haven't driven since.   A scarily challenging hill start not long after passing my test knocked my confidence and that was that.  My lack of wheels is a constant source of displeasure, annoyance and inconvenience.  Taking refresher lessons is on my 'to do' list.

11.  I'm the messiest, most disorganised Virgo in the history of the world.  Virgos are supposed to be obsessively tidy and organised HAHHHH!  Not this one!!

12.  Despite my love of shoes - I hate feet!!  Mine in particular but other people's too. 

13.  I have an extraordinarily ridiculous pathological fear of dentists.  I'm not sure where this has come from.  Until I was in my 30s I had never had to have a filling and only went because the treatment was free during my pregnancy.  I think the thought of someone being 'in my space and in my face'  made me antsy.  I'm ashamed to admit that I have never taken my kids to the dentist and feel an innate sense of guilt because of this - but I can't do it!  A couple of years ago I had to have a tooth out and the dentist who did the extraction was an absolute butcher.  This has only served to bolster my fears and now I desperately need treatment and can't go.  Yup - I know.... I'm crap!!

14.  I was an unqualified paralegal for 7 years and handled personal injury claims following road traffic accidents.  Due to the stress of the job I decided to step back into being a Secretary.   I bloody well hate it!!!

15.  I have a circle of extremely good and close friends whom I met over the internet.  We speak every day to varying degrees and I love them all to bits. I remember being so shy when I met up with them for the first time but we've become such good friends I can't ever imagine a time when I didn't speak to them. 

There you go then.  Phew.  Made it!!  15 whole THINGS!! 

See you soon!!!

I'll Tell You How the Sun Rose....

I'll tell you how the sun rose

A ribbon at a time

The steeples swam in amethyst,

 

The news like squirrels, ran

The hills untied their bonnets

The bobolinks begun

Then I said softly to myself

That must have been the sun.

But how he set, I know not.

There seemed a purple stile.

Which little yellow boys and girls

Were climbing all the while

Till when they reached the other side,

A dominie in gray

Put gently up the evening bars,

And led the flock away.

 

Emily Dickinson

My alarm goes off each  morning at 6am.  This morning, after the obligatory groan, feeling around on the bedside table for my trusty Blackberry, knocking over my jewellery stand in the process and negotiating the turny offy button, whilst attempting to prise open my protesting eyelids, I decided that 6.00am was obscenely early to be contemplating the beginning of my day.  It wouldn't be - it's just that getting up twixt Monday - Friday usually heralds the fact that I'm only a couple of hours away from being stapled to my desk .  So this morning I grumped and muttered, re-set my clock for 7.00am, threw my arm over my eyes and feigned sleep.  

I was comfortable for approximately 3 minutes and 22 seconds before my bladder began to complain vehemently and, with an unneccessarily dramatic throwing back of the duvet, I stomped into the bathroom.

The bathroom appeared to have changed colour from it's usual monochrome black and white.  It was bathed in a beautiful soft pink light.  Stumbling back in to the bedroom I peeked through the curtains to investigate.  It was around  6.10 am by this time.  The sight which prevailed almost took my breath away.  The most beautiful sunrise was taking place over my beloved field, and I had very nearly missed it! I stood quietly, with the windows flung wide open, just watching as the sky was washed with an arc of colour.   My camera can not do justice to the hues in which Mother Nature bedecked herself this morning.  She's such a show off! 


Bargainous News

Two little fledgling blackcurrant bushes from the Ye Olde Pounde Shoppe - alreadly showing some healthy growth.  How could I resist?

Whilst intrepidly searching for yellow knock down ticketed items in the big green supermarket of monstrous proportions, I found this:

Two 250g packs of Lurpak butter plus a loaf tin for the very modest sum of £2.00!

Not sure how long the promo is on for but I think it's a decently little bargain to be had.

Sigh.

See you soon xxxx

Of Squidginess and Getting our oats!

Greetings my lovelies. 

Can I say a huge THANK YOU to those of you who leave comments on my ramblings posts.  I can't tell you how much I love reading them.  I think any blogger worth their salt would agree that each new follower and every new comment makes it all worth it.  You're all FABulous dahhlings!!

Now then... I had a particularly bad day yesterday at the dark and gloomy place and by the time I got home I felt like this:

I won't bore you with the details, suffice to say that the events of yesterday have steeled my resolve to get the hell out of there and look for pastures new before my mental health really begins to suffer.

To take my mind off killing people my bad mood, I decided to do some baking.  My darling partner was told by his GP that his cholesterol was slightly on the high side recently.  Not high enough to warrant medication, but all the same we're trying to make some healthy changes to both of our diets which should hopefully begin to make a difference to his cholesterol count.  We eat relatively healthily anyway with lots of lean meat and loads of simply cooked veggies and stir fries but our downfall is a mutual love of sweet treats.  We've changed his usual supply of choccie bars for his work snacks to more 'healthy' cereal snack bars, but I'm still concerned by the amount of saturated fat and sugar in some of them.  Whilst some bars are admittedly less calorific and sugar laden than others, I felt sure that I could go one better and make our own cheaper and lower in fat version.

I scoured the interweb and found a recipe some fat free oaty bars,and, as I know that oats are a good cholesterol busting food,  I thought I'd give them a go.

Here's the recipe:-

They were described as 'flapjacks' however I think this is somewhat of a misnomer.

110g (4oz) porridge oats - not the instant stuff - the good old fashioned rolled oats that you can get in a hewooooge bag for next to nothing.

110g (4oz) caster sugar - however - I used half this amount of demerara sugar and they were still fine.  You'll see why in a bit!

1 dessertspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used mixed spice)

1/2 (half) teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

100g (3.5g) sultanas - I used currants (I'm SUCH an anarchist)

225g (8oz) mashed bananas (this is why you can easily use less sugar.  The bananas are naturally sweet anyway)

4 tablespoons skimmed milk

2 egg whites

1 teaspooon vanilla extract (optional).

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 180 C or Gas Mark 4

2.  Prepare a 23 x 33cm (9 x 13 in) tin (or whatever you have!) which has been lightly greased or lined.

3.  Chuck all the dry ingredients in a bowl and shimmy em about a bit so they're all combined. 

4.  Peel yer nanas!  In a separate bowl bludgeon the bananas with a blunt instrument.  Or you could simply mash em with a fork.  (very cathartic this!). Then add the egg whites, milk and vanilla.  Combine and mix together.

5.  Stand on a kitchen stool and pour contents of second bowl into first from a great height.

6.  Ignore the bit about the kitchen stool as blog author has clearly lost her marbles.

7.  Mix the mixture until the mixture is well and truly mixed.

8.  Pour into your prepared pan and make your merry way to your oven, avoiding any banana skins which have been discarded in wild abandon during instruction (4).

9.  Pour very large glass of wine and lie down in a darkened room until the pinger on the oven/egg timer/mobile phone alerts you to the fact that it has been 35 whole minutes since you abandoned your kitchen and that you still have two bowls and mixing implements to wash up, bits of mashed banana to comb out of your hair and a mountain of oats to sweep from the floor because you left the packet open and they tipped out. **

** This may only happen in my kitchen in which case ignore most of instruction (9) and just take the oaty bake from the oven and test for done-ness.   If you're happy with them then allow to cool for a while and cut into bars.  You can sprinkle them with more cinnamon and sugar if you like - but I didn't.  So there.

Here they are - squidginess abounds!

My initial thoughts are that 35 mins didn't seem to have made them 'flapjack' like. They were very sticky, so I left them for a further 10 mins and then turned the oven off hoping that they would 'dry' out to a more crunchy/chewy flapjacky consistency, however I have to say that they're still more 'cake' like than expected. I suspect that next time I make them I may add more oats and see how that works out. The family like them anyway though. They're very squidgy (the non-flapjacks not the family - although they have their moments!) and very moreish! Perfect for brekkie and full of cheap, storecupboard, wholesome stuff. Give them a try and let me know what you think :)

'Nana Squidges!

If anyone else has any low fat flapjack type bakes then I'd love to hear about them.

In other news of great import:

Our girls have been busy over the last few days!

And I'm a tad concerned that one of them may need reconstructive surgery!!  Ahem... what a whopper!

Have a lovely evening y'all!! 

Of Happy Days

A very, very Happy Mommy's Day to all of you Yummy Mummies out there in blogland.  I hope you've all been been spoilt rotten, and if not, I hope you've at least had a little 'me' time to yourselves to relaxez vous!

I actually feel like that ^^^ polar bear right now - ready to flop!

It's been a productive day though.  Lovely Man and I trotted down to the allotment around mid day.  My Mum and Dad have three large plots down there and my Brother has one.  All of it is divided up into raised beds and we're taking over a couple of them this year.  I'm so excited!!  With both of us working full time and Lovely Man working permanent nights, it's just too much of a commitment to take on a full sized plot, but with these two beds, and the big raised bed we have at home, we should be able to achieve quite a bit of home grown produce this year.  We've turned the soil over and weeded it so it's now ready for planting.  Shame we couldn't get the potatoes in just yet but I'm sure one more week won't make much difference.  If I'm feeling up to it I may pop down after work at some point this week and plant them.

I forgot to take the camera today (bad blogger!) so I wasn't able to begin charting our progress, but here's a pic of my parent's allotment sites taken in late August/early September last year when everything was green and lovely!! If you have a look at the top right of the picture - see that shed roof?  Well that's where our plots are!!  You'll have to use your imagination I'm afraid!

I bought home a bag full of rhubarb this afternoon,  Lovely freebie food!!  I quickly stewed some with a little water and brown sugar with a little honey, then drained and added some mixed spice.   I made a usual crumble mix but then added a few spoons of muesli and also some porridge oats, stirred it all together et voila (what's going on with all the Frenchisms today?!!) oaty rhubarb crisp!  It tasted fabulous with some ice cream for pud after our roast pork dinner and went down a storm! 

Look what I saw from the kitchen window late this afternoon...

Rubbish pic but you can faintly see the rainbow there against the angry looking sky.

Well who said Sundays were days of rest eh?  I'm shattered!!  Totally loving the fact that we squeezed Sunday until it's pips popped.  But rather annoyed that the weekend is over already. Two whole precious days. GONE!  TWO of them!   I demand a recount!

See you soon you blogging beauties!