The view from my office

Roller derby

Today I NSO'd my first match of 2018!

Long my this continue 😁

Pizza party

Home made pizza and prosecco at Tracey's!
😁

Albie likes pizza too, although she wasn't very successful in obtaining any.

A weekend in the Capital

Traff and I are on an adventure.
We're in London.

We came into Paddington, then walked to Little Venice.
We walked along the canal to Maida vale, then st Johns Wood and then to Edgeware road.
All in a round-about way.

5 walked miles later we were relived to get the tube at Edgeware to Hammersmith.
We were still a bit early to check in at the hotel so we went for fancy tapas at toro gordo in Hammersmith high street.
We will be returning!
They do tapas boxes as a lunch main for £11 each and it was seriously good.

We followed it up with the gelato bar!

The hotel is pretty good.
We're just chilling now before we meet Jade to go and see steel panther.
Traff is very excited, but right now he's having a nap on my leg whilst I watch bargain hunt because I can't reach the remote.
Ah well, our lives can't be all glamour, right?

No work Thursday! Just this once

OK, usually I do go to work on a Thursday but I awarded myself a day off. 

I wanted to try and make the clutch bag pattern that I posted to my G+ account:

https://seekatesew.com/envelope-clutch-pattern/

 I have tons of fabric that is too small for a major project but is at least a fat quarter size so that would be perfect.

I drew the pattern up, and then realised that I don't have any decent buttons, so I made that my charity shop mission.

As you see, for £2 I have an impressive selection now!

I'll have to add my pattern to my project bag for Sunday.

I ended up getting distracted by watching "The Undertaker" on Netflix whilst supervising Marley's outside play time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLjyDQ4UZtM

I did join her outside for a quick go on the trampoline, and then realised that the crazy weather we've had lately has actually broken a fair few of the main, big branches on next door's tree (The one Marley gets stuck in all the time).

They'll fall down on their own, and they're both heavy and stuck so there isn't much we can do until the weather improves.

Sadly they're directly over the trampoline (and the shed!) so we'll have to be careful for a bit. 

No-work Wednesday

In my new job, I don't work Wednesdays.

I still work full time so I have to do 9hrs and 30 minutes on the other days to make my time up, but I cannot explain to you how nice it is to only ever work 2 days in a row!

I know I'm lucky, and I'm determined to make good use of my day off. I will do something creative with my Wednesday.

Yesterday I sorted out my craft loft to make everything easier to find.
I sorted all the patterns and checked they all had the right bits.
I folded all the fabric.
I sorted all the thread so that it's easier to colour match.

Just jobs i've been meaning to do for ages but never quite had time. But the kind of thing that puts you off starting because you can't lay hands on what you wanted.

I cut all my pieces for Sunday, so that's a good start! I'd been avoiding it because I was scared to ruin the fabric but it was all fine.
I just needed a push in the right direction.

Marley is not a fan of the loft. She can't use the ladder so she sits at the bottom and cries.

Kennet & Avon canal

Today Ray, Tracey, and I embarked on a soggy adventure: we walked from Bradford on Avon to Trowbridge on the canal tow path.
It was pretty, and there was plenty of wildlife to see, along with the permanent boats which are always very interesting.

We walked about 7 miles and ended up both soggy and muddy.

After the walk Tracey came home with us & Ray made amazing burritos for us for dinner.
A healthy day!

We spent the evening mooching and listening to music. Even Marley chilled out and joined us. She sat by Tracey with was a turnout for the books!

You remember my xmas day amazon shopping accident...

So, you remember that I got shitfaced on Christmas day and accidentally ordered £70 worth of assorted items on Amazon?

Well, drunk me has good taste.
The shelving unit is pretty cool. And very pleasing to the cat, too.

Badbury clumps

Today SJ and I took her dogs for a rather bracing walk around Badbury clumps in Oxfordshire.
Today was my first 'day off in the week' so I was determined to do something with it!
I'm so excited for only working a 4 day week!

Usually, I would have made even more of the day but my morning was taken up dealing with the remainder of yesterday's chaos.

My GP rang to discuss my blood test results and asked if I was an alcoholic.

Not usually an opener.

To be honest I don't really drink at all. 

I was amused. Then she asked if I was pregnant. Then based on two negative responses she told me that my thyroid level had dropped so i'm now deficient in B12 vitamin, because I'm not absorbing anything very useful from my food.

All my blood cells are  huuggeeee and a bit deformed because no one realised/followed it up for almost 2 years.

Long story short, more levothyroxine, no more alcohol, b12 suppliments and more blood tests.

Fingers crossed that works because the next option is I have to inject the B12. I don't fancy that after yesterday's stabbing!

So, a good long walk was greatly appreciated and just the thing to cheer me up and clear my head!

Ray made gnocchi for dinner too so it hasn't been all bad!

Ever get the feeling you're being watched?...

Pineapple for day improvement.

Today has not been my favourite day of 2018 so far.

There is some back story here:
On the 27th (with my gin induced malay book buying evening hangover still truly present) I had to get my yearly thyroid level blood test.
Fine. It was horrible, because I was dehydrated but it wasn't painful or traumatic. Sorted for 12 months... or so I thought.
Got a phone call 2 days later- all fine, prescription ready to collect.
Got a letter 7 days later 'blood test needs to be repeated'.

Slightly conflicting.

I called the doctors. The receptionist doesn't know but apparently it's urgent and 'borderline' (bearing in mind they take a load of little bottles and test about 9 things, that is very vague and not helpful in the slightest).
She assured me the vampire nurse will be able to explain.
Fine.

So I go. It's cold. I am really well hydrated and peeing for Britain, but my hands and lips are blue. It's first thing in the morning and the surgery is cold still.

It was a nurse I hadn't seen before. I explained I was cold. She didn't really take the hint and just went for pot luck and went all the way through the vein and got a nerve. I almost threw up and used all my curse words.
About 10 minutes later when I was done shaking and sweating she offered to try again and I told her to get stuffed.

My arm and fingers felt like they were on fire for most of today.
It was horrible. My arm is purple and it bled everywhere.

The receptionist promised the doctor would ring and discuss the blood test at 4pm.
So I went home early.
I'm hoping to postpone the blood test repeated until warmer weather, to avoid a repeat stabbing.

They finally rang at 7:15 and I missed it. So Today was entirely wasted.

Work was productive.
So that's something I guess.

I did the laundry whilst I was home early.

And Traff bought us a pineapple. That was pleasing. And it was a kind gesture of cheering up.

Pineapples!

Ray was super organized and picked up the last of our ceramics last week on her lunch break.
I'd forgotten about these bad boys!
Pineapples! On every surface!

Looks like Ray's Graduation photos have arrived

Basic biscuit recipe

Sooo, Yesterday I made loads of biscuits. Then we went out with Roz, Tracey and Marek to see Simon's band at the Vic.
We drank too much. And then Traff ate all the biscuits I'd made for when Kate and Chloe come to see us this evening.
Total failure.
So, I have now made more biscuits.

The first batch of dough we made we very stiff, like a pastry and easy to cut.
Todays dough was sticky, wet and wouldn't cooperate with the cookie cutter, but it made fluffy, american style cookies so I think this was my preferance.

There are two major differences that I can chalk this up to:
1) Room temperature. Yesterday the kitchen was cold. Today I was making sushi rice and cooking breakfast and the heating was on. So it was all melty and gloopy. Yesterday it was colder so the butter in the dough didn't melt.
2) egg. The recipe only calls for an egg yolk. We ended up using the whole egg yesterday as the dough was so stiff and crumbly and we didn't have any milk, so today I just bunged the whole thing in regardless. I'd use a whole egg.

in future, I'll be using this recipe but making these changes:
Self raising flour
whole egg
not more than 15 minutes in the oven!
Adding chocolate chunks.

This is genuinely so easy you can do it hungover and even I didn't screw it up.

We baked them at 170 for 15 minutes. They don't go very brown. They just get crispier, so a tricky one to judge.
Some of the comments and other things people have tried are pretty handy:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3468/basic-biscuit-dough

Anyway, try it:

• 250g butter
  
  , softened
• 140g caster sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g plain flour

1. Mix 250g softened butter and 140g caster sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then add 1 egg yolk and 2 tsp vanilla extract and briefly beat to combine. Sift over 300g plain flour and stir until the mixture is well combined – you might need to get your hands in at the end to give everything a really good mix and press the dough together.
   
   
   
   
   

Cycling adventures

Today I met up with Tracey- after delivering her a bike. She has joined the same gym as Ray and I (Hence the swimming) so she was hoping to cycle to the Gym but didn't fancy cycling on the roads (I don't blame her either, Swindon has really busy roads and loads of roundabouts, it's a nightmare to negotiate by car, let alone on two wheels and at the mercy of car drivers attention spans).

Swindon actually has an amazing cycle network, and all the paths are well away from the roads, through parks and countryside. which is really refreshing but also a bit counter productive as it's hard to find out about the network and the paths are very poorly signposted. Some of them are in google maps but most of them aren't, so that makes them difficult to use and navigate even when you're on them.

Ray has taken to just memorising routes and so I have just adopted the same technique for places I visit often, walking the routes first with google and an OS map, then cycling them once I'm sure I won't end up super lost or on a dual carriage way (Or worse, the M4). 

I can now get to Tracey's, Lydiard, Old town, the canal and Wroughton. I think that's pretty accomplished.

I cycled to Tracey's to see Albie and catch up, then we cycled back into town then to mine.

We had flowering tea, made cookies and had fancy lunch! Pasta with salad and feta. We're experimenting with the pasta but so far Lidls is winning!

We cycled back to Tracey's through Manington, and she told me that B&M have the county chocolate spread on sale for £1 (It's almost £3 in sainsburys). On the way back (Muddy to my knees from the woods) I stopped in and got all sorts of goodies including the chocolate spread. I had a bike basket full of croissants and mini baguettes! Very european!

Wolverhampton

I just tried to use the mens' toilets at Wolverhampton station. I realised my mistake as the security guy spotted me, pissed himself laughing and announced "That's the mens', Love!" at the top of his voice to the entertainment of everyone on the platform. Tactful. Ah well, maybe I brightened someone's boring journey...

Lancaster

So, I now been on my second work adventure, This time to Visit Lancaster University over 2 days. I'd never been to lancaster before, so it was a trie adventure- and I had to change trains 3 times too!

All the traveling went pretty well and I managed to re-read LittleWomen for the first time since I was about 8. I know it's a children's book but I just wanted to read it. I found a copy being thrown away from the School library in September as it hadn't been taken out since 2012. Having obtained a happy freebie I thought I should make use of it!

I didn't realise it was the first in a series of 4, so now have "Good wives" in my amazon basket ready for pay day and downloaded "Jo's Boys" on my kindle app (look at me, entering the technological age!). I also took the book of dust- the new Philip Pullman one which I regretted firstly because it's a massive hardback so I had to walk miles carrying it and secondly because I love Pullman's books and I wanted to be able to immerse myself in it without "Our next station call is Carlisle" every 15 minutes.

The Visit was really interesting and successful. I'm hoping to meet with some of the academics again in April, and I know I'm lucky to have such lovely colleagues and grant recipients!

On Thursday night we attend a poster session and prize giving which was brilliant. We loved chatting and finding out about all the cutting edge research. On Friday we attend a conference which was really interesting.

New make up brushes!!

And kitty shaped lipstick.
Jealous?

Southampton

Today was my first work adventure. Katherine, Katie, Katharine, and I had a meeting at Southampton uni.

We had a really lovely day finding out about the work they've been doing over the last year.

I enjoyed the University. I didn't think much of Southampton!
I'm sure it's beautiful in the summer, but today, it was freezing, foggy and grey. Very underwhelming. Very 60s.
Apparently it has some really ace parks and green spaces. We just didn't get to see any of them.
Maybe next time!

Photobooth!

Resolutions for 2018

My 2017 Resolutions were not entirely successful.. I ate my 5 a day, Went back to roller derby (Although I was thwarted a little by work), I did more paddle boarding and went one better- I got my own board so I can paddle anywhere!. However, I did not manage a 5k or any k if I’m honest. I didn’t like running and it only got me flashed by some pervert! I’m also fatter than ever so totally sucked at hitting my hospital target weight! (And I don't have any excuses for that one, I have only myself to blame).

2018 will be a year of change, so many new experiences and exciting things happening!

Fingers crossed that everything goes fairly well… To help with that I’m going to set myself another 5 targets, but I think more to be worked towards than to be immediately attained. That never seems to work well!

New years resolutions for 2018:

1. 1)    More paddle boarding! In more new places!
2. 2)    In addition to my “5 a day” which I will keep up- be more mindful of what I eat and try to avoid allergens ( I type this with a swollen mouth from my accidental consumption of possibly ginger..or Nutmeg...Or cream... or lord knows really...)
3. 3)    Work towards hitting my daily step target and taking more exercise- making it to more roller derby sessions, starting Ballet and attending body balance or yoga.
4. 4)    Save some kind of house deposit.. or at the very least meet with the mortgage advisor to be told that we are too poor to ever own so much a shoe box.
5. 5)    Arrange more creative meet ups with Tats, Abi, Kirstie & Sophie! I’ve really enjoyed catching up and being more creative recently. I will do my very best to keep it up!

Whatever happens, Here is to a happy, healthy 2018!

Steph's 30th

On Saturday night Traff and I drove to Llantwit Major for Steph's 30th Birthday party. We picked up Dan and Sah from Cardiff and we met with Chaz & Amanda whilst we were there which was ace as I   hadn't seen any of them to catch up for about a Month :)

There was a disco and Karaoke, and we got to dance to all the best disco tunes, so that was good. 

The only down side was that it's like a 2 and a half hour drive, so we got home at 2:30am. We don't really mind late nights, but Marley came and demanded her breakfast at 6. I was so bleary eyed I poured biscuits on her head. She didn't seem to mind too much though.

We ended up going back to bed, with her walking us up to check that we were still alive every 20 minutes. We ended up getting up about 10am and eventually managed to both be up, fed and dressed. We ended up doing very little all day- Laundry, food shopping and meal prep for the week ahead. This weekend seems to have flown by!

Post swimming coffee

Tracey and I have been saying since September that we'd go to the gym together. We made plans and then every week we'd end up with a meeting/ appointment/ huge urgent thing that needed to be done.

We finally made it on Saturday! Ray, Tracey and I went Swimming. Not quite the epic gym session I was hoping for but it was good. A positive start to the new year anyway, right?

The nearest swimming pool to me is the Victorian one with a big stained glass window at one end of the pool and wrought iron fittings. It's actually really impressive to look at was you swim up and down. Distracting.

It was apparently used in the Morse series "Endeavour" (Filmed most recently, but technically the first in the series, then comes "Morse" and then "Lewis", almost all filmed in Oxford, except one swimming pool scene from Sunny Swindon courtesy of the Health Hydro, so, now you know..).

After swimming we went for Coffee, mostly to avoid walking home in the rain. We went up Comercial road and we were going to go to Baristocats, but we ended up in theItalian Deli because they had a sign up saying £1 coffee (And let's face it, January is always a lean month).

The coffee was amazing and they had proper Italian pastries.

It'll be a regular coffee adventure!

They also do home made pesto, cakes, fancy pasta and baked goods so when I'm less skint I'll be sampling their wares.

The tables for coffee drinking are right by the fancy wines. nothing makes you careful like a shelf of £64 bottles of bubbly...

The surprise

On Thursday evening I thought we deserved a treat, so I walked home via the outlet centre and brought us something unhealthy from Patiserie Valerie. 

I ended up just getting 4 Madame Valeries, because I realised as I was deciding what to buy, I usually go there for breakfast, so I'm not familiar with their cake selection.

So I panicked and just got the first one I saw the name thingy for.  I have to say though, that even if I'd thought about it I couldn't have done better. They also have an offer in the evening and if you buy 3 cakes, the 4th one works out at like £1. 

So I got 4.

Ray and I drove over to Tracey's to see her and Albie and to deliver the final cake.

Panto!!

As is our January family tradition, Today we went to the pantomime.

We've been to the one in Bath for the last 3 years (before that we were Oxford Playhouse attendees..and before that Didcot power station social club!). Jon Monie is a genius.

Although, this pantomime is definitely closer to the bone than most. So much innuendo!

I enjoy watching it because it's festive, and it's funny because it's so predictably stupid. I did start thinking at one point during the show though, (The part when they sang the 12 days of Christmas, with the words changed slightly and day 1 was "a bra that was made to hold 3") That this is a difficult tradition to explain to anyone who isn't british.
The whole thing is just intentionally stupid.
Boys play girls, girls play boys, there's a dame who's definitely a man in dress. It's a take on a fairy tale. It's slapstick, ironic, and back handed. There are enough dirty jokes to keep the adults happy but they just go over the children's heads. It's all so clever. And then there are lead actors/actresses who can act, sing, dance and are doing a serious job whilst chaos just unfolds around them.

It's still sort of Christmas...

Why cats don't make good Secretaries

Day 2

Today has been very interesting.

It started by being presented with a Noddy toy.
Apparently the newest person in the team always has it on their desk.

I received my laptop and log in details in record time so I was able to start using my email account and calendar. Sadly that's about all I was able to do as my other software isn't configured yet.

I attended team coffee, which was really interesting.
There aren't many of us on our team, only 6 of us. We're the smallest team but have the most varied work.

After coffee I had a tour with Matt and met lots of new people, sort of arranged my training schedule and learnt how to use some new software for travel bookings, timekeeping etc. All of that was pretty alien.

My department are really sweet and all go for lunch together, people from other departments on our floor come and join them too so it's been a good way to meet new people!
They were impressed with my sushi!

After lunch I had a meeting with my colleague who's role I'm taking over to go over the portfolio and discuss what the next steps are.

I'm pleased because I now have a big list of things to do tomorrow, which will keep me busy.

I'm also excited because I'm off to two meetings next week.
On Tuesday I'm going to Southampton uni with my colleague and my boss.
Then on Thursday I'm going to Lancaster with my colleague, attending a poster event, then staying overnight and attending a big review on the Friday.

This week has been.overwhelming and next week looks like it'll be exhausting but  It's certainly different.

New job!

I spent my Monday bank holiday making sure I was ready!
I packed my bag, sorted my pencil case and packed my ID.

I also started with good habits: meal prep.
I made my vegi sushi and chopped veggies for the week. I also made Traff hoy sin tofu and rice to take to work to use up my extra ingredients.

I bought some fancy high heeled brogues for work,but I won't wear them tomorrow as I need to do lots of walking. I'm a bit sad about this but I know it's the most sensible idea really.

My first day was good but a bit overwhelming.