Bored

I'm on holiday and for some reason i can not entertain myself. My kitchen is a mess (not my doing - i like it to be clean and never leave pots overnights) so i can't bake today because i refuse to tidy it again. I have ideas that i want to cook and things that i like the idea of making but for some reason just can not find the motivation. I'm tired - i go to work at 6am everyday so my lie ins are pretty pathetic of 9am so i'm watching mid morning tv wanting to do anything but i'm skint till fri and everyone is at work - grrrr

Being 30

I said this to a friend of mine who was turning 30 today who is having a pretty crappy time to the beginnings of her 30's. "We started the last decade of our twenties not knowing the real world, we thought that we did but as the years progress we realise we know a little more than yesterday. We have learnt to love the people we love and remove the people who no longer matter. These partings are sad but necessary. We started our 20's feeling sorry for ourselves and in relationships that did not make us happy. We met many boys along the way who were not suitable or good for us and then obviously met the people we love today. We don't know what the future holds who who we may be in ten years time but that's a good thing and in 10 years we will look back on our 30 year old selves with fondness and a feeling that we knew nothing of who or what we were or would be. These are difficult times but we are alive, we are loved and things can only get better"
I belive this to be true and only hope that she understands I know she is strong and wonderful will happen for her.

Knitting and Sewing

So i bought a kit that teaches you how to knit - which sounds good but my co-ordination is pretty shot to be true - clumsy Donlan. On Mothers Day my mum tried to show me how to cast on and the result was pretty bad - this was a lot funnier than it sounded - she taught me using two biros so pen got everywhere and i am not meant for knitting. So i know have this kit and two proper needles so i'm going to try again. I may be dead in a few hours, twisted in yarn and unable to get out - remember me as i am - or not, it'll just be a disaster!!! Then again i also made my Kermit build a bear his own frog pyjamas. They are not perfect but i am quite proud :P

Doctor Monkey

Doctor is on the loose - this is Doctor - hide your bananas!!!!

Gaming

I'm sat here thinking about gaming. I like to play computer games, I do play World of Warcraft and I have also played Sims for many years (1,2 +3). I own an Xbox and a Wii, I was a Super Nintendo child and owned an amstrad and an amiga back in the 80's and 90's. My parents owned Pong and i vaguely remember the spectrum we had with space invaders. I also like to play Pokemon and have many games on my xbox BUT and i know i shouldn't feel this way because i am a gamer myself, i hate Call of Duty, Star Wars Old Republic and i am currently going through a hatred of Mass Effect 3. Games steal boyfriends. They go all silent and forget you are there they are so engrossed. I think James would forget to eat and shower if i left him to play 24/7. Ironically he's pretty good in comparison to previous boyfriends. Paul used to play COD in our bedsit till 3am whilst i was trying to sleep and he insisted that he had the sound on. Simon pretty much said he'd prefer to have COD than a girlfriend. Boys forget girls are there when their playing - it's pretty annoying to be fair but hey - i love games and i shouldn't complain. It's just the elephant in the room i guess!!

Baking

So i bought a book by Marian Keyes called Saved By Cake - it's pretty good - pretty easy to follow and it is true, baking does give you something to focus on and can make you feel a lot better.
It can be said that i like to bake, i don't always get a chance to because of work and that fact that my current kitchen is a glorified box - no space to prepare anything really. saying that there is nothing more gratifying than taking your time, giving your baking the love it deserves and watching raw materials turn into something special and tasty.
I still haven't perfected the victoria sponge - that is my goal - one day i will make the most moist and fluffy victoria sponge but until that day when i can manage to get air into the sponge and not have it be really flat i will persevere. Cake baking is an art - you have to practice and practice and practice and get pretty chubby before you get it really right.
See my problem is this, i can bake and it'll taste ok but it always looks a bit lopsided or it has fallen apart (always a bit like in 3 men and a little lady when sylvia bakes). I try and although i fail i still believe i will improve. I have cold hands like your supposed to for baking. One day i will be posting a picture of a lovely victoria sponge but until that day i will just have to keep trying !!!! My boyfriend made me tardis cake for my birthday - that was pure skill - wish i was as clever as him. Again though - one day - i will have a bake off with James and i will win :)

This Vegetarian

So, starting a blog - don't expect it to light the world on fire but hey ho - i think it's quite nice to share my thoughts to someone who may listen. I have been a Vegetarian for the last 23 years. Things have changed since 1989 - i remember going to restaurant and only being able to eat chips because there was not even a salad on the menu. Few years later i do also recall the only thing on the menu being a mushroom stroganoff for a 12 year old girl in the 90's (don't get me wrong now a days that'd be cool but then - oh god no - i was so shouted at for picking at the rice and not eating it, my dad was so mad). I was given the choice when i was little of eating meat but i did not like the smell or the taste of it. To be fair i only ate fish till i was 7 and then decided i didn't want to anymore. I gave up sweets at 12 because of the gelatine and it's just the norm for me now. I'm not a preachy vegetarian - i eat what i eat and don't expect others to follow suit. All my ex boyfriends and my current boyfriend have all been meat eaters and i have made them meat meals. One ex Andy would never eat a meal without meat - i remember making this lovely meal and he put in a steak to go with it as he said my meal was just a side order - it was funny i guess. James, my current boyfriend is quite a fussy eater but he does eat what i make so that's easier. So food is easier now, books and programmes do cater for vegetarians most of the time. There aren't many vegetarian restaurants but more than there was years ago. There is nothing nicer than going to Greens in Didsbury because i know i can eat every single thing on the menu - it makes me giddy. Not having to look for a "V" sign and crossing your fingers it won't be another lasagne or omelette is beautiful. Saying that i have also discovered over the last few years that i am intolerant to bread and dairy. Now i will not become a vegan because i love cheese and chocolate too much but i am trying to go down the lacto route of late. Today though i made a beautiful Macaroni Cheese with vegetables (carrot, broccoli and cauliflower). I used Creme Fraiche and Lacto Free Cheese - it tastes nice really. I did have to use white pasta which i do not prefer but as my boyfriend will not touch brown pasta as he calls it gritty but compromise is a virtue i'm told.
I'm also made a lasagne today, one for me just with tomato sauce and cheese sauce for me and one for James with mince in it - i've considered using TVP and see if he notices the difference but i hate the stuff so no. I just never got the pretending to eat meat thing - maybe because i never have and it must be hard to swap when you have.
I waffle on, i know i do but i do have interesting things to say honestly ..................