Monday 28 July 2014

The weekend I almost made it to Cardiff

It was all planned. Friends organised, bags packed, tickets bought, lift to the train station sorted. I was going to Cardiff for the weekend to visit a friend and shop and eat and kayak and doallthethings!

I started to feel ill in the car. I knew it wasn't travel sickness, the sickness was coming on too fast. I took a pill and hoped it would kick in and it would all be okay. It wasn't. By the time I was dropped off at the train station, you know, not the one near my house but the one 20 minutes away, I felt like I was just holding on.

I wanted to go. I haven't seen Sophie in months and we had so much planned. I called my mum and she made me tell her everything I'd eaten that morning. You know that moment when you start saying something like "well I ate this melon that had been in my hot car for a day, it tasted weird but I didn't want to waste it" that you've found your culprit.

My mum rescued me from the station and I spent the rest of the day in bed. Sunday wasn't much better.

The girls had a great time in Cardiff together. They shopped, got free buritos and went kayaking in the sun.

Weekend, you were pants and I don't want a repeat of you. 

Friday 25 July 2014

Simple Jerk Chicken

This is a great 10 minute preparation recipe that I got from a friend and thought I would share.


 You'll need: 

Vegetables of your choice. I used 1 green bell pepper, 1 onion and 2 tomatoes.
Chicken breasts
Rice / cous cous
(If using cous cous you'll want 1 pint of chicken stock too)
Olive oil
Levi Roots Jerk sauce (or any brand)
Baking dish
Saucepan

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.

Cut the vegetables into chunky quarters and put them in the baking dish. Pour olive oil over the veg so a little is on each piece and shake the dish from side to side to spread the oil about.

Next, make a space in the centre of the baking dish and place the chicken breast in the space. Make short cuts in the top of the chicken breasts, maybe a couple of centimeters deep.

Pour over the jerk sauce , making sure to cover the chicken and getting it into the cuts.

Put the baking dish in the oven and cook uncovered for 40/45 minutes (adjust cooking time to your oven).

Prep. the rice while the chicken is cooking. If using cous cous, soak it in the hot chicken stock for the stated time.

When cooked through and the vegetables are looking lightly crisped on the outside, serve with the rice or couscous and VOILA! A cheap and easy dinner.
     
                 Before cooking....
                                                                                                        After cooking...
                 

If you have more time you could make your own jerk sauce and marinade the chicken in it overnight in the fridge...but that's neither quick or simple.

Oh, and it tastes delicious!

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Introducing...

Sophie Annabella! Born Saturday evening to my sister-in-law and brother, with gorgeous little cheeks and blonde whisps of hair she is a little treasure to our family. I'M AN AUNT!

This obviously isn't me, it's my mum, who is overjoyed at becoming a grandma! 

I will go and meet her at the end of the month and give her lots of cuddles and love. In the meantime, I will pester my brother for facetime requests and photos. Babies are the best!

Congratulations to my Jon and Victoria on becoming a family of three! I will take my aunt duties seriously, including but  not limited to:-


  • Teaching her to sail
  • Teaching her to climb
  • Cinema trips with mountains of popcorn
  • Park trips where I will climb the apparatus too. 



Thursday 17 July 2014

Glamping...almost

Have you heard of Glamping? It's the new trend to go camping but in luxury. Camping in a glamourous manner I guess. Well, in the absence of money growing on trees in my current situation, the man and I decided to take a camping trip to Devon. I had planned the Barcelona trip in October last year so this trip was his planning domain and boy was I nervous!

I only asked for three things: hot showers, no drunken louts and next to a beach. He did good!

Pictures below of our amazing holiday to Woolacombe Bay in North Devon, full of surfing, sunbathing, coast walking and delicious food.








Wednesday 2 July 2014

Shhhh....

I've been pretty quiet on here lately and that's been for a very good reason.

I've moved!

Due to moving I've been extremely busy with packing/unpacking, painting furniture, lugging boxes about and generally trying to catch up on sleep. Falling shower rails, blinds and rain hasn't helped matters. As with every move there is the obligatory no internet period and my new flat doesn't seem to get a great 3G signal.

It's been an adventure though! My parents helped me shift furniture on Saturday and I felt a little bad I couldn't offer them a drink more interesting then water to quench their thirst. It has been HOT these past few weeks! Do yourself a favour and don't move in the summer.

I've yet to discover how to work the boiler and get hot water for a shower, but I've done the important things like arrange my mantle over the fire and cushions on my sofa. The morning sun streams in through the kitchen window and the afternoon sun warms the lounge and the bedrooms - perfect!

I'll have to put some photos up soon when I'm through with organising everything, I'm pretty house proud!

And to all the friends and family who have put up with me for the past few months, there'll be a dinner invitation through your door very soon I promise :-)

                             
                                                              Image from Google - I was too busy to take photos on Saturday!