In Other, Less Interesting News # 6

I compile these posts by adding any photos into a folder- and then creating a post when I have enough uninteresting news.

That's how I know that it has been way too long since I have done one of these- because the photo's in here? They're from a long time ago. 

We're talking last September people. > 6 months = too long. 

So... Since I am really really late doing this- and also because I should REALLY be revising- let's just get on with it. And hope that none of this is too outdated to bear. 

And sorry that this weeks post is AMAZINGLY late. A combination of revision, busy back to college rush, and being ill. I know- excuses excuses!!! Also, please bear in mind that these photo's are a) unedited, and b) taken over winter with, like, no light!

1. I have started loom banding. Yes, I'm very late to this craze- possibly too late- but hey. It's cool- it's fantastic, and I love it. That loom broke the first day I used it :( Never fear- I now have a non breakable loom. 

2. Last September, I did a review of Innocent's fruit tubes.  It was a bit of a disaster- turned out they weren't vegan and it was during Vegan MoFo. But Innocent very kindly sent me some money off vouchers - I wasn't asked to write about them, it was just a nice surprise that they sent me some vouchers for writing about them! And my brother liked the smoothies, and I liked the alphabet magnets. Because yes, I collect the alphabet magnets.

3. I spent a long time trying to convince my parents that yes, you are supposed to leave persimmons until they are beyond soft and squishy- because that's when they taste their best. 

4. My parents decided that I didn't need a piano and decided that was wear Christmas presents were going to be stored this year. This little (Christmas) bunny was not impressed!

5. Cafe Nero do banana hot chocolate. Yes, I know. I mean, I know. I know. 

6. I got a goodie bag from BEAR because I collected enough cards. Yes, like collecting magnets, I am a sucker for gimmicks. But I got a goodie bag through the post. HOW COOL IS THAT. Free yoyo people- come on!

7. Vegetarian jelly. Enough said. 

8. I decided that I like veggie sushi and I know want to eat it. All. The. Time. Like literally. All the time.

9. Pre-Senior Section sushi. 

10. We found a card with 'Grampy' on it. He's waited almost 27 years- but finally a card with 'Grampy' on. 

11. Breakfast sushi and miso soup. Because yes, I will even eat sushi for breakfast now. 

12. Talking of breakfast, apparently, if you sprinkle a few oats on the top of a cereal bar, you can then call it a breakfast bar. Who knew?

13. I had a lot of putting away to do after spending possibly too much in Waitrose. And they didn't even have what I went there for (buckwheat). Apparently every Waitrose but ours sell it. What?

14. Speaking of Waitrose, sushi from there even comes with sushi ginger and wasabi paste. And Inari sushi. Be impressed. 

15. Again, Waitrose: B for Basil, M for Mint, T for Thyme, and P for.... Rosemary? Anybody going to explain how that one works?

Okay- until next time (when I promise you will get a better post than this.)!

TTFN, Ana

Happy (Chinese) New Year

First- came the after posting all the Christmas posts slump.

Then came the homework/revision. 

Then came the more homework and revision. 

Then came my birthday- after which I spent several days just drawing with my new pens. 

Then came with rush of homework and revision to catch up after the drawing. 

Then I looked- saw mocks were coming up- and New Years was ages ago- and decided I would give up for a month and post this on Chinese New Year. Because there was really no point- as much as I love my blog- given the choice of revision and blog- I'm always going to pick revision. I have the whole of summer for you guys!

On the bright side- I know what I'm doing for Vegan Mofo this year. And I'm planning to practise my first recipe on Saturday. Now I just need to procure gluten free vegan corn tortillas. Any body any ideas? (And I live in England- the words 'Masa Harina' are not to be spoken). 

So- the first thing that I should probably do on this special New Years issue is... draw a really cool picture of something Chinese to celebrate (joking- but I got manga drawing stuff for my birthday - and it's right next to me (and so I wanna draw right now)) (but it's okay- I wanna talk to you guys too). 

Okay, actually- I think that it's probably a good idea to look back at what I wrote last New Year. (Wow- that was such a long time ago!) (Finds the page so she can has a copy to refer to... WOW THAT WAS ONLY LIKE - 9 MONTHS AGO (or less depending how you count!!!!!) WOW OH MY WOW MY OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Just wow. 

On the bright side- I am less worried about this being late :P 

Wow- I am so different to that short time ago (feeling slightly emotional now)- I mean- I was still on treatment. I wouldn't go out anywhere without my wheelchair. Afternoon naps where a necessity (although I wouldn't mind them every now and then).

Today I've been walking up and down the stairs WITHOUT a crutch. (Not that any one has noticed yet). 

Okay- I'll get over my emotional thing now and just get on with it!

First, shall we look at last years New Year's resolutions? 

1. Learn to use chopsticks ... As in actually learn how to use them properly, not just find a way to make them get food from plate to mouth. 
Okay. Well- I wouldn't say that they were the culinary equivalent of my native tongue- but I've definitely got better at them. I am a lot better now then I was this time last year. Yes, it takes me longer to eat my dinner than if I was eating with a fork, but at least I'm quicker than I was this time last year. I'm sure a 'native' chopsticks user would beet me hands down in a chopsticks using contest- but I did get complimented by a family friend on a recent meal out on my chopsticks mastery. :) We have one pair of chopsticks that has migrated (by my request) from the awkward to reach back of the utensils draw to my (much more convenient) utensils mug. It shares a place with such coveted items as my knife and my measuring spoons. And- the week after half term- not only am I doing a activity based around chopsticks at my Senior Section meeting (I'm scared- these people are MY OWN AGE- argh) but I'm also doing it with the Rainbows (which I am looking forward to so much more!). That's a lot of chopsticks tuition guys! 

2. Try as many recipes as possible from my new cookbook Peas and Thankyou by Sarah Matheny. 
Well. Okay. So. I haven't done them all. My aim is to do 90% of them (cause there are a couple of things that I won't be able to make (can't get the ingredients etc) or don't want to eat (mango salad is not my thing)- so 90% is my goal. Have I achieved my goal yet? Not in the slightest. I have 41 recipes to make before I achieve my goal (wow- I didn't realise that there was that many left!) But I have completed 44. I'm very good with breakfasts- I'm not so good with "sweet endings". I will get there one day people. I mean- I'm having 'tempeh chilli' tonight! (which will be one more down). Some things I've had to adapt more than others. Some things I've had to adapt a lot. I don't have a waffle maker. So I made them into pancakes (I mean- what else was I meant to do?) Recipes that called for tempeh have been made with Quorn. (until now- I finally found a packet of tempeh last week guys!) I seem to have gone through fazes when I did a lot better than others- this has wavered a lot due to how well I was feeling and/or college. A lot of it has been due to college. Plus a bit of it has been that I wanted to make my own thing. Some of it has been because my tastes are still a bit funny- and the thought of having a load of cake around? Not good. (I don't like cake) Another part of it is that I am (generally) the only one who wants to eat what I make- and so I don't want to have a load of leftovers lying around then feeling guilty when I've not been able to eat it in the required time! I'm aiming to get it all done by the end of the year- but I also anxious to try some recipes from other cookbooks- like this, this, this, this and this. I also have a copy of this (thank you to my Aunt and Uncle- it's great) and this to have a go with. Plus I need to learn some good recipes for uni (here's where the student cookbook will become my best friend). All in all- I'm gonna have a load of new recipes to try out. (What else are summer holidays for?) And in all this recipe testing (I can't wait for summer- no exams and lots of fun in the kitchen).  But in the midst of all that- I AM going to get through 90% of the recipes in this book. (Though I refuse to make chocolate chip zucchini bread). 

And my New Year's Bucket List? Shall we look at how I got on with that?

My New Years Bucket List:

1. Go to Ikea
Been there, done that, and I haven't got the t-shirt, but I have got other stuff to prove it!
2. Get a Balti dish (they are so cute)
This one is a fail. They used to sell them in Wilko's. They don't any more. They do in John Lewis though- next time I go one may jump into my bag. (after being paid for- just to clear up any ambiguity in that sentence). 
3. Eat many dinosaur sandwiches
Maybe not many- but definitely quite a few. I took some lovely pictures- and made a (one of my better) bento with them. But then my laptop crashed and I lost said pictures. I need to redo and photo. So no evidence- but I DID DO IT!
4. Make popcorn (a must on anybodies bucket list - to different extremes)
Also a fail. The popcorn maker is at the back of the cupboard. It is not accessible there to anybody- least of all me. Making popcorn- meet summer. You'll go very well together. 
5. Go to Lakeland plastics
Possibly the best day of last year. It helped that I had the best friends ever. (And guy's- you still are the best). And Fred. He is THE BEST railway worker I have ever had the pleasure of having get me on and off trains in my wheelchair. He is THE NICEST of above category. And THE FRIENDLIEST. And all around amazing. He did the Oxenholme-Windemere 'stint' - he was amazing in Windemere, and he was a star in helping us change stations in Oxenholme on the way back. He was just ACE.  6. Spend some money in Lakeland plastics
See here. 
7. Make an omelet (without cracking any eggs)
Yup. I do have pictures of this- but I'm not going to show you them. They're terrible pictures and every time I get to take a picture of my omelet- it always seems to be burnt. And I don't want to show you a burnt omelet. So done it- but you'll have to wait for proof.
8. Go back to college
I've done this. Why did I ever want to do this? WHY?
9. Get an A* on a piece of maths homework
Aced it. (or should that be A-starred it?)
10. Watch Frozen again
And again. And again. And again. And again. And I bought the DVD so now I can watch it as often as I want. 

So before I outline what I'm going to do next year- what do I still have to complete from last year? And if I don't get them done this year- I am REALLY stuck. 

1. Try as many recipes as possible from my new cookbook Peas and Thankyou by Sarah Matheny. 
2. Get a Balti dish (they are so cute)
3. Eat many dinosaur sandwiches
4. Make popcorn (a must on anybodies bucket list - to different extremes)
5. Make an omelet (without cracking any eggs)

You know, 5 out of 12 isn't bad. Not good- but not bad. And two of those I have done- but just need to do better. 

Are you ready for the 'big reveal' for this years resolutions? 

And I know that you're not- or you are but you don't want to be. But I just thought that any one who reads my blog on a regular basis should be forewarned about what's going to come up a lot this year. 

On a tangent-

Looks at Blogger stats page- and sees 25 page views today and thinks OH MY. Then realises she still hasn't posted anything since Christmas and thinks OH NO! 

So, on a tangent- you know that I've had 3164 posts in my all time history? So THANKYOU to anybody that reads my blog. An even bigger THANKYOU to anybody who doesn't just read my blog by accident. And to anybody who reads my blog and then comes back and reads it again. Because you are amazing. To anybody who is actually reading this (however many paragraphs in) and hasn't stopped because you think I am an absolute weirdo- you are amazing. 

OKAY- BACK TO BUSINESS (in capitals so I actually get down to it this time around instead of getting distracted- cause this post is quite possibly already long enough!)

My New Year's Resolutions 2015:

1. Learn Danish (Cause why not?)
2. Write a book
3. Pass my A-levels
4. DRINK TEA 

1. Cause why not indeed. I wanted to learn a language for the international octant of Look Wider, and it had to be something new that I hadn't done before- so this ruled out German and definitely ruled out French. And I know there are a load of languages that would be more useful than Danish- but also- which ones? I don't need to learn a language for any reason other than I want to. And- why not danish? Denmark: the home of The Little Mermaid and Frozen. It has a Queen- so just like England. (I guess). If I learn Danish I might understand what's going on in IKEA a bit better (and yes, that's Swedish- but Sweden doesn't have the added benefits of a certain Hans Christian Andersen.) And it's the happiest country in the world!!! So, why not? Plus, I really want to try aebleskivers!!!! (Will a cake pop pan work?) 

2. You know- despite the fact that I say I like writing books- the last book that I finished was in 2011. Serious rectifying needed here guys!!!! Also- I think that I'm going to use it for my Queen's Guide Award, so... This one is about... then she gives up explaining. The last time I tried- it just didn't work. 

3. Yeah. And that means pass as in get grades good enough to get me into university and not just get anything above a U. Just to let everybody know- this one comes above all else at the moment. And will be done by summer. 

4. Ooh- this is my favorite. (Takes break to grate tempeh for tea). I, and my Dad, have got hooked on going to a teashop. And yes, a specific tea shop. It's fantastic!!!! :) (Review telling you all about it's awesomeness coming soon!) (Dad is getting tired of me taking pictures every time we go). But- the experience of going most weeks has convinced me that I need to drink more tea. I mean- it's good for you!!! And it tastes nice! And it means you have a study break- unless you REALLY need to study in which case luckily it is an activity that is fortuitously complimentary to multitasking. So I am going to DRINK MORE TEA!!!

My New Year's Bucket List 2015:

1. Make popcorn with nooch/golden sprinkles/nutritional yeast
2. Make Sushi
3. Make a Disney Princess Apron
4. Have my hair in a hair elastic. Just once. 
5. Make some really awesome bentos. 
6. A super secret thing that I'm not going to tell you about yet. 
7. Go swimming
8. Master making muffins
9. Finish one Octant in Senior Section
10. Take an ABRSM exam. Even if I have to take the prep test. Or maybe the performance assessment... (i.e. two exams that would be way more than stupidly easy for me) :P 

And yes- you will be painfully subjected to updates throughout the year on how I'm doing. And yes- I will probably fail at quite a few of these. (again). And yes- they will probable be late and sporadic. 

On another, completely unrelated, topic. I'm using my blog for my Bronze DofE. Which means that I will most definitely be posting at least once a week. For three months. Even if it kills me :P So- they will all be labelled with Bronze DofE. Just if you're wondering why/what on earth. Also- if I manage to get more than one a week written- I'm gonna save it up so I do- most definitely - post one a week. 

Wish me luck x 

In Other, Less Interesting News # 5

Sorry about the break guys. I was having some sort of post-MoFo hibernation. Plus, I don't want to post another thing until I know that I am going to post something that is actually worth posting. 

And until that day, what about a little look-see into what I've been up to?

Yeah, even I can hear the yawns you're making. Yes, dear friend, even I who can't hear African choirs when we were in the library. 

1. I have surpassed 2000 page views.

2. I have still not managed to work out how to put links for my Facebook and Instagram pages on to my blog. One day people.... One day. You can always search for me and have a peak anyway! (Ana's Rocket Ship Blog and A_R_S_15 respectively).

3. I got a new peeler. My hands are two small for Mom and Dad's peeler, so I had to get my own. Look how cool it is!

4. I have officially lost the pictures for my dinosaur bento. And it was so brilliant too!

5. I've finished treatment. Trust me- this is a good thing!

6. I've started writing my books again. I still haven't got word on my laptop (don't ask), but I've got another decent word processor so it's okay!

7. I bought Frozen on DVD!!! (I do love the Disney 2 for 1 deals!) And I have watched Frozen on DVD! I'm sorry people, but Frozen is just way more important than you guys! (Not really if you're actually my friend and not just some poor reader who has stumbled across here accidentally). I also have the Frozen songs to play on piano! (Girl happy- can't really play them yet, but girl happy).

8. I have started going to Senior Section meetings! I have been wanting to do this for like, forever! (Well, since I became to old to be a Guide any way) but it is finally happening now!

9. I can get not very far without any crutches at all. But not in front of people. That would just be inviting people to laugh at me, and we try very hard not to do that people.

10. Pretty much all my friends are now at uni. This ones a biggie. I'm kinda lonely.

11. I had noodles in a box. They were horrid. But I had noodles in a box.

12. I got an A on my first math test in a long time. But we don't ever talk about UCAS. Seriously. Not ever.

13. I have organised the Hama needs into colours. We won't talk about the ones in the jar.

14. I went on holiday. Look at the sand. And the string pictures!

15. I got to try a load of different types of Nakd bar.

16. I finally opened the sparkly coconut body butter. I brought this for prom. Over two years ago now.

17. I am all ready to get back on the bento bandwagon (cause I've noticed I've been in bento quicksand lately). Look- plan is on the calendar.  (they're the post it notes I've stuck on)

18. I made a toastie. On my own. Know I know why we have a toastie maker. 

So... Know, back to writing a decent blog post! 

Speak Swedish?

I have been to IKEA. 

I have actually been and walked around IKEA. Okay, I did get pushed around for quite a bit of it, but I went to IKEA. Lets not pick at straws here people! 

That's one more thing ticked off my New Years Bucket List. 

I have been to IKEA. 

I have been to IKEA. 

And okay, I'll stop saying it now. There, happy now? 

(I have been to IKEA)

Like my haul? So- I spent not a lot of money buying a lot of stuff. I'm happy. 

I also bought a table, a wardrobe organiser that doesn't fit in my wardrobe (anybody need a wardrobe organiser?) and some dedicates washing bags. 

I did not buy a chair or the kiddie plastic plates. AKA to things out of the three things I 'need'/want. The IKEA lady helpfully told us that the plates would be back in tomorrow. But I'm not here tomorrow, I'm here today. And the chair has been discontinued. (IKEA need to do more office chairs without wheels, BTW). 

Sad face. 

:(

Do you like the flamingos?

Happy face.

:) 

And I got elk pasta!!!! (Which my friend is now probably very tired of hearing about.) But look, it's shaped like Elk's!!!

And what better to inspire a bento then a trip to IKEA?

Look, elk pasta!!! (Sorry Miss H, I'll shut up about it now!) Plus homemade veggie meatballs (yes, I know thats an oxymoron), an apple, a peach yogurt with bits of chopped up Nakd bar in it and a lingonberry juice box. I was going with 'simple but good'. Not sure if I achieved this, but hey ho. 

1. TIME It took very little extra time to do this one. I had pasta and meatballs (and tomato sauce) the night before, so I just had to boil a bit more pasta, and keep some more meatballs from the freezer. All I had to do was cut up the apple and add the Nakd bar to the yogurt. One green star to me. 

3. RECORDING Guys, I'm recording this one on time. For the first time in like, a month. Are we impressed. Two stars!

5. BOXABILLITY Okay. It's not completely in one box. But it's only a small box (it's marketed as being a box to hold a sandwich) and I haven't yet worked out how to stop my yogurt covering everything else. But we'll go with minus a star. 

7. PACKAGING Okay that is a juice box (and not my reusable one) and the yogurt came in it's own pot, and the Nakd bar came individually wrapped, but I CUT UP THE APPLE MYSELF. For the FIRST TIME. So, for that improvement, I'm giving myself another star. It's not the perfection, it's the trying hard. (Yeah, I'll keep telling myself that.)

8. PLANNING I had this one planned ever since... um... actually I can't actually remember. But I had it planned for a while anyway. So I'm on three stars. 

9. EATING The passenger transport came early, so I didn't have time to finish it. So we'll stay neutral on this one. I quite liked having the cold pasta though. And the yogurt. (And by now you've probably guessed I liked the apple) Both of  these will have to be repeated. And the lingonberry juice? It was kinda like a fruitier cranberry juice. If only they had it in Sainsburys...

So that's three stars. 

Now, trying to understand what I actually brought in IKEA. So...

Är det någon som talar svenska?

(P.S. If that's a bad translation- blame Google!)

It Always Rains in Cumbria

"IT ALWAYS RAINS IN CUMBRIA" said a girl as she got off the Glasgow Central - London Euston Train at Oxenholm on her way back from the T Festival. Except she put a exclamation in front of it. Really? What did she expect? Cause she just said it- it always rains in Cumbria.

When most teenage girls go shopping somewhere other than their hometown to spend their birthday money with their friends, they would go to the Trafford Centre. Or Liverpool One. Or Cheshire Oaks. Or wherever it is they go. Other girls my age are going out shopping for Uni stuff. Like a frying pan and a scourer. They don't go to Cumbria.

Hi there! Here I am! The girl who dragged her two best friends all the way to Windermere (in Cumbria (where it rains a lot)) to go shopping. Yeah, I know. I subjected my friends to a downpour, and a two hours on a train, and changing at Oxenholm, and pushing me in a wheelchair, just so I could go to ONE shop.

Ever been to Lakeland? If no, well, Lakeland is a kitchenware and home ware store. It sells really cool stuff. Like really cool. You go in and you could make a list as tall as you of what you would want in your dream kitchen. It's also the only store where you and your friends can have fun trying on rubber gloves. Yeah. Its that kind of store. And although there are stores all over the country (except Manchester), the one in Windermere is the original, flagship store, and is worthy of a day out.

To be honest, quite a lot of what Lakeland sells is expensive, but, a bit like John Lewis, 99% of the time, it's the best, and most innovative. Its a treat to go there, and buy a slightly overpriced item.

And we didn't just go to Lakeland, we did go to Booths two for lunch. I had the Mushroom Pilaf, which was served with chips/wedges/potatoes, cauliflower and red cabbage. It really didn't need the potato product (I had wedges, should of gone with chips, the outsides were a bit tough for my cutlery skills), and I was to scared to try the red cabbage (I know I don't like the jarred stuff, anyone know if I like the fresh stuff?). It was really really nice though. Dad-can-you-help-me-do-this-at-home kind of good, full of mushrooms and sultanas kind of good. Apparently the lasagna was nice too.

You wanna see what I bought with my birthday money. I know you do! (Well, I'll pretend you do).

One thing I have learn from today's post? The squares of material that I've used for backgrounds a few times now? They need ironing. And sorry for the two tone one above, I couldn't get my big sheet of card downstairs, and I didn't wanna take a knife upstairs.

Okay. Total impulse buy people. But it was on sale. It was under £2. AND ITS CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!! Like I said, AND ITS CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When Mom saw it, she was jubilant. Something to do with them getting their infant school milk in bottles exactly like this. Dad then rained on her thunder by pointing out that their milk bottles had foil tops and were a half pint, not 250ml. Yes, my Dad is pedantic enough to point out 34ml difference. Is it rekindling beautiful for anyone else? Or just my parents? 

BBC Children in Need is coming up soon guys! Yeah, like in November. But as always, it's best to be prepared!!! Plus, it looks conveniently like a Micky Mouse (or Minnie). And Mom says if I'm desperate I can turn the shapes upside down and call them cars. It's multi-functional people!!! And if your wondering what this strange silicone contraption is, you put it in your frying pan and it makes pancakes/eggs in a Pudsey shape. So-expect a Pudsey bento coming in... a long time. (But it's best to be prepared, right?) Plus, £1 went to Children in Need because I bought this.  

Forget it says Cbeebies. Forget all about that fact. I'm kind of a messy baker. Messier than those children you see on that program I told you to forget about. Hopefully, next time I spill flour, I can just shake it off the mat into the bin, instead of Mom having to change the tablecloth. Was pink the right color? We spent a lot of time debating this. 

I have bought tools for the great bento project! It includes a (very scary) garnish knife, a wavy cutter (my main reason for buying it), a flower cutter (my second main reason for buying it), a melon baller and a julienne peeler. So, expect some pretty veg from now on!

Silicone mini loaf pans. Also on sale. They are to make mini loafs. Okay, the end ones look a bit misshapen, but we are working at straightening them out as we speak. 

Another color dilemma. This was mainly brought so my brother would stop going on at me about using his. Plus, its not white, so hopefully I wont have to worry about staining it as much. Although I am still going to keep it away from Moms play dough making. 

I wasn't going to get this, because I didn't think it was BPA free, but it is BPA free, so I bought it. It's a reusable juice box. Which. Is. Just. So. Cool. It means I can take juice out without having to worry about tainting my water bottle or damaging the environment. This does come directly after Dad bought me 24 Fruit Shoot's though. (They were on offer!) And, you can buy parts to replace the straw. But not in the UK yet. 

My friend made the woman in the shop laugh by pointing out that I was spending my 18th birthday money by buying a juice box. She is soooo mean. (Just kidding.) (Maybe). 

This is the watertight beaker that I got, before I realised that the Juice in the Box was BPA free (it really should have mentioned that in the Lakeland catalogue), and never thought to put back. I'm sure that it will still come in useful though. Maybe I could take a smoothie to college?

And finally, Zipzicles. The coolest thing on the planet. They allow you to make your own ice pops. Which is kinda cool. And if your careful with them, you can reuse them. Mom says they are fiddly to wash, but doable. (Yes, I've already made 5 Zipzicles) And they are really really cool. They come in a pack of twelve. It would be kind of good if you could get them in bigger pack sizes, as 12 is approximately one batch. And if your not reusing them... BUT THEY ARE SO COOL. 

Oh, and a word for the wise about getting soaked on Oxenholm station? If you crouch under the platform sign in an attempt to avoid the soaking, it doesn't work. Trust me, one of my friends tried it. 

Happy New Years... I've missed the Glitterball

Yeah I've missed the glitter ball.

But you know that all the greatest bloggers post their "Happy New Years" post in...

Girl looks at (coincidentally imaginary) watch, and realizes that watches tell time in little bits (hours and minutes and seconds) rather than big bits (weeks and months)...

Girls sighs and looks on calendar...

May. Everyone posts their best "Happy New Years" post in June. Its what makes them the best. Cause if you've had to wait this long for it... you know it's gonna be good. Right peoples?

I did try for Chinese New Years people. I really really did. Like R.E.A.L.L.Y. really. Sometimes things just don't work out. Until June. 

One good thing about doing this in June is I can ask... 

Has any one really kept them? Hands up people (and comments down... come on... it only takes a moment). Who's still revising more/eating less junk/going to the gym more/being more organised? And who's let theirs go by the wayside? Don't worry... you know that they were halfhearted anyway. 

Who'd forgotten about them till now, has just remembered they should be doing an extra half hour of homework a day and decided 'sod it, I'll just try again next year'.

I made two New Years Resolutions. Plus a sort of New Years Bucket List.

You see, the trouble is, it's kind of hard doing chemo + anything else. Chemo is very time consuming guys. We can be talking 5/6 days solid in hospital here. Plus, it makes you sleep. Like constantly. You know how baby's can sleep for 18/20 hours a day sometimes. Forget it. That's nothing. (At least us chemo-ers don't cry and want feeding the rest of the time. Well... sometimes we want feeding, but not in the same way). So spend more time in the gym just ain't an option for me. Plus, I can't walk yet, so gym? Forget it. (Not that I ever went to the gym even when I could walk. I went once. And fell backwards of the treadmill)

So these resolutions had to be something that didn't require any effort/thought unless I was ready for it. I.e. reading the newspaper everyday was out. So is washing our (imaginary) car every Sunday morning. It had to be something that, if I needed to, I could forget about till like, April. Or just until I wake up (possibly the year 2273). But it's a New Year's Resolution people, it had to be something that on New Years Eve, I could look back and say... yeah... I did that. I'm quite proud that I sticked to that... I think I achieved something in that area of my life this year.

Or, "well shucks! That didn't work now did it? Maybe I'll try again next year" (and quite probably fail again.)

My New Year's Resolutions:

1. Learn to use chopsticks ... As in actually learn how to use them properly, not just find a way to make them get food from plate to mouth. 

2. Try as many recipes as possible from my new cookbook Peas and Thankyou by Sarah Matheny. 

I like Chinese food. I've had very little Thai food, and for arguments sake, I've had no Vietnamese/Japanese/other East Asian cuisine. And pretty much all of what I have had, I've eaten with a fork. I like noodles and rice, with their assorted trimmings, and fully intend to eat more (especially the noodles) in the future - quick, easy to adapt for 1 (no trying to quarter a can of chopped tomatoes) and very versatile.

So I should probably learn to eat them 'properly'.

Know, I know 'properly' is probably not using chopsticks in many cases. I'm thinking about Sheldon's lecture on Thailand and the fork from The Big Bang Theory as I say this. I'm also a firm believer that eating 'properly' is eating however you feel comfortable, as long as it's not offencive. That's my excuse for ditching my knife, holding my fork in my right hand and ditching the implements all together when eating potato wedges and chicken nuggets.

And eating with chopsticks is a perfect way to eat 'properly'. I'm SUPPOSED to be holding them in my right hand (Dad) and you're not supposed to use a knife (Dad). It's a perfect solution to my bad (ish) eating habits.

Plus, the really cool plastic coloured ones work just as well as the 'proper' ones. Which can very rarely be said for knifes and forks. Even if they are a bit slippy.

(This is what my plate looks like before and after I eat a meal with chopsticks. Messy- but I did it)

And as for doing as many recipes as possible from my new cookbook...

How many cookbooks have you had where you flick through it, go, "ooh, that looks nice!" and "we'll try that one next week" and "I'll pick up some soy sauce so we can have a go at that one", pick up the soy sauce and then never use it. Not for that recipe anyway.

Yeah well I didn't want this to happen this time. This is a cookbook by one of my favourite bloggers (although she stopped blogging about a year ago). I have been wanting to get my hands on it for ages, and then I get it for Christmas. (Thanks Nana). How cool is that? And this book is so full of some amazing looking recipes, that I don't want it to become another one of those cookbooks which is for display purposes only. I want it to be used in the way that it deserves to be used. Even if that means spraying it with lemon juice and giving it a fine dusting of coco powder.

Apparently, a girl gotta peel a can of chickpeas. 

Yeah, I know. Some might say that it's destruction of an otherwise pristine book. Some might say I need a cookbook stand (me included- but to keep it open on the right page). Some might say I'm just sad, trying to do EVERY SINGLE recipe out of one book. But hey ho. A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.


But a girls not sure what shes gonna do when a recipe calls for mango. A girl ain't liking no mango. And a girls not sure what shes gonna do when a recipe calls for a waffle maker. Anyone got a waffle maker they can lend a girl?

My New Years Bucket List:

1. Go to Ikea
2. Get a Balti dish (they are so cute)
3. Eat many dinosaur sandwiches
4. Make popcorn (a must on anybodies bucket list - to different extremes)
5. Go to Lakeland plastics
6. Spend some money in Lakeland plastics
7. Make an omelet (without cracking any eggs)
8. Go back to college
9. Get an A* on a piece of maths homework
10. Watch Frozen again

Do we need updates on my bucket list people? I think we do. Yes, I know that you all screamed no at your computer screens when I asked that question, but chemo has caused some hearing loss.

Actually, it has, but only in the upper registers where a bit of hearing loss wont make much of a difference according to the man who did it. Unless someone is playing sounds in your ears and asking which ones you can hear. Oh, and I can't hear that annoying mosquito sound outside of some shops. However that will be no loss.

So yeah, get ready for updates people.

Just pray that they get posted this century. You know what I'm like :D

Year of the Butterfly # 1

You know how shops put stuff next to the tills, trying to get you to buy the stuff on an impulse as you're standing in line? You know how when you're 18 in less than a month, you really should no better than to comply? 

Yeah, I know. 

That doesn't really explain how, when my friend wheeled me out shopping after I returned from a fortnight in Birmingham, I came home with 4 of those little calendar tag thingies. You know those ones they use in primary school, that just tell you what day of the week a certain date is on?

Well, at least my impulse buys were only 25p each. There's a lot to be thankful for. 

What You Need:

2 Foam Butterfly shapes (or just cut butterfly shapes out of foam)

Pen

Scissors

Coloured paper (I used 4 sheets, each a different colour. It was also the slightly thicker sugar paper, but only because that's what I had on hand)

30cm ruler

Glue stick

Wool

Drinking Straw

Calendar Tab

Sticky Tape

How to do it:

1. Start with the foam butterfly shapes

2. One one shape, draw a rough rectangle as big as possible, and inside this rectangle, draw a heart. 

3. Cut the heart out of the first shape, then use this as a template to draw and cut out a heart on the other shape.

4. Cut out a rectangle of paper as big as the rectangle you can draw on the butterfly (but neater - I used a ruler for this rectangle)

5. Draw strips on one sheet of paper, using a ruler. My strips were about 1/4" thick. 

6. Lay the lined sheet on top, and cut the strips out of all the sheets of paper at once (if you have too many sheets to cut out at once, do them in two goes. To draw lines on and cut each sheet individually would just take way too long)

7. If your strips are too long for your rectangle, like mine were, cut them in half.

8. Lay the first strip across the paper and glue it down. 

9. Glue the second strip down at a contrasting angle (can you have a contrasting angle?)

10. Hopefully, the third strip should go across the first two without leaving a gap in the middle. 

11. Keep on going around (not necessarily with three strips to a round)

12. And around

13. And around until you can't see any more of the base paper

14. Turn over the paper and use the back of the rectangle as a guide to cut of the excess of the strips, so your left with a rectangle again. 

15. Repeat steps 8 through 14 on the other side, to leave you with the swirly pattern on both sides of the paper

16. Glue the paper in between the two butterflies (kind of like a sandwich) making sure the side with the pen on is facing inwards. 

17. Tie the ends of three lengths of wool together and make a fairly tight plait, tying off the end. 

18. You need 5 plaits in total, 2x 1 1/2 ", 2x 5". and 1x 14" approximately

19. Cut the bendy end off the drinking straw, cutting as close to the bend as possible

20. Tie the longest braid around the middle of the drinking straw. 

21. Cut the ends off, and un-braid them 

22. Attach the two shortest braids to the back of the calender tab with sticky tape. 

23. Attach the top of the short braids in between the two layers of foam using sticky tape at the bottom of the butterfly. (at this point your calender gains a front and a back, so if you prefer one side to the other, make sure it's at the front)

24. Fix the ends of the remaining braids one to each layer of foam, to create two loops at the top of the butterfly

25. Thread the straw through the loops, keeping the big loop in the middle, so the calender can be hung.