Kings Lynn walk number 50 (1/54)

I got the Coast walking book for christmas so Traff and I are trying to complete all the walks- we didn't do very well in kings lynn as we kinda did the walk backwards which resulted in us getting lost.

This is the wife taking over the navigating after I got us down a dead end behind the tourist information center.

Boarded up windows- what a cool idea?!

This is how our front room will look soon! damn the aquarium.

Nelson and I

Nelson and Traff

We picked an ace day for it- it peed down all day and was miserable- but we enjoyed ourselves!

Stone compus.

The Church looking pretty and blossomy- the tower has a dial that shows the waxing and wayning of the mood- which I think is awesome- although you can't see it here.

We went to the gaol house museum- because it was cold and rainy outside and because it looked cool-it was a nice little museum that starts off with the old police station set up like the 1930s where you can do your fingerprints and then goes back through time.

different punishments and some bits on prison reform.

Our mystery tour took us to this record shop- they had nirvana picture disks on the wall and some old and rare records- as well as an ace selection of more modern/ easily obtainable records- and the guy running the shop was lovely!

Medieval remains of the greyfriars tower!

feel free to read on:

meeeeee, dressed for dryness and warmth.

machines

How cool are these?!
they come as kits and you construct them yourself...like a weird 3D jigsaw puzzle.

but cooler because they have hydraulics.

Did I tell you my joke?

Whats the difference between a giraffe and a JCB?...

....one has hydraulics and the other one has high bollocks.

:D

Why Icecream gives you brainfreeze- yahoo

Scientists think they know why eating something frozen such as an ice lolly or ice cream can cause a sudden excruciating headache, often called brain freeze.

That ice cream headache, or sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia as it is known to scientists, is caused by changes in the blood flow in the brain when chilled foods quickly come into contact with the mouth's upper palate, according to a new study.

Previous research has found that migraine sufferers are more prone to brain freeze than others who don't get migraines, suggesting that the two types of headache might have some type of common mechanism. Studying how brain freeze occurs may give new insights into the mechanisms behind other types of headaches such as migraines, and could lead to new treatments for them, the researchers said.

In the study, scientists from the National University in Galway and Harvard Medical School deliberately induced brain freeze in 13 healthy volunteers by asking them to sip ice water through a straw pressed against their upper palate. The experiment was also repeated using water at room temperature.

As the volunteers did this, the researchers monitored the blood flow in the brain arteries using transcranial Doppler - a type of ultrasound.

The volunteers were asked to raise their hand when they experience the pain of brain freeze, and to do so again when the pain receded.

The ultrasound revealed that one artery in particular, called the anterior cerebral artery, dilated rapidly and flooded the brain with blood when the volunteers felt pain. Soon after the dilation occurred, the same blood vessel constricted as the volunteers pain receded.

The researchers said that the dilation and constriction of the cerebral artery may be a type of self-defence mechanism for the brain in response to severe cold.

"The brain is one of the relatively important organs in the body, and it needs to be working all the time," said study co-author Jorge Serrador of Harvard Medical School.

"It's fairly sensitive to temperature, so vasodilation might be moving warm blood inside tissue to make sure the brain stays warm."

But because the skull is a closed structure, the sudden influx of blood could raise pressure and induce pain. And when the blood vessels start constricting again, it may be a way to bring pressure down in the brain before it reaches dangerous levels, Dr Serrador said.

He added that similar alterations in blood flow could be at work in migraines, post traumatic headaches, and other headache types.

If further studies confirm the research, then drugs that block the sudden dilation of these blood vessels or others that prevent them from restricting may help to treat these types of headaches.

The study findings were presented at the meeting Experimental Biology 2012 in San Diego.

Hand cream recipies

Almond Hand Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of beeswax 

1/2 cup of almond oil 

1/2 cup of coconut oil

1/4 cup of rosewater 

Directions:

Heat 1/4 cup of beeswax slowly in a double boiler. Add 1/2 cup of almond oil to the melted beeswax. Stir in 1/2 cup of coconut oil. Mix in 1/4 cup of rosewater and stir until thoroughly mixed. You can buy rosewater, or make your own by simmering 1 cup of fresh rose petals in one and a half cups of distilled water for 10 minutes and then straining the flowers from the water. Pour the hand cream into a container while it is still hot, as it will become firm as it cools. 

orrrr

Beeswax Mango Butter Hand Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

4 Tbs. Beeswax

2 Tbs. Mango  butter

8 Tbs. Coconut oil

10 drops carrotseed essential oil

Directions:

Melt together wax and butter. Add oil. Then add essential oils. Mix completely until smooth. Pour into jar. Let harden. Mango butter also reduces degeneration of skin cells and restores elasticity.

orrrrr

Shea Butter Hand Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. Beeswax

2 Tbsp. Shea  butter

8 Tbsp. Evening Primrose Oil

10 drops Lavender essential oil

Directions:

Melt together wax and butter. Add oil. Then add essential oils. Mix completely until smooth. Pour into jar. Let harden. 

Charitable appreciation

Part of an email sent to me by the school librarian:


The ILC World Book Day event at lunchtime was a huge success and photo's can be seen on Staff Share-->Academy Media-->Academy Images-->2011-2012 Images-->2012-03-01 ILC World Book Day Event. All sixth form volunteers that helped out during the event will be awarded achievement points for their grand effort! During the event, and through pre-planned sponsored events, we raised over £250 for the BlueCross; their Fundraising Events Manager, Tracey Chittock, asked that I share her thanks with you all, "What a brave teacher you have there willing to cut her very long hair for charity and what a fantastic amount she has raised! It is amazing that your collecting tins are full; we really do appreciate the work that you and your students have put in!"

Winning the pub quiz

I'll be honest, I never thought I'd get to post this!

Normally we come last at the pub quiz- I have a selection of wooden spoons that can prove it.

We WON!

I really have no idea how.

We go to the quiz every week- and now we're on first name terms with the landlord! The quiz is always for charity and you pay to take part- we are the only consistent team- everyone else comes out in support of their chosen charity.

The landlord was so shocked he had to check twice.
And he gave us each a lovely bottle of red wine.
see:

Gloucester

Lush Face masks

Now, I had pretty much given this up as a bad job- I am a massive lush supported and I buy and use many of their products but heaven help their telephone team.
I drank two boxes of clipper tea so that I could go and have a blue face mask in public with Kirstie. my vouchers are sat in my house. I mentioned it to my mum, who decided to take up the offer too with one of her friends.

My booking got messed about pretty badly. wrong shop. wrong date. wrong time. no help. no replys to emails. unable to get through on the phone.
gave up.

My mother managed to book hers FOR A SATURDAY.and then her friend dropped out. so I did get my lush facial as a "substitute friend".
better than nothing I suppose.

We signed the against animal testing for cosmetics petition and signed the windows of lush in swindon (my mother signed herself Caz. what a rebel!)

Bedford Nature reserve

BBQ

We were invited to a BBQ at one of my old colleagues house- he's now escaped and manages to get a super kuchy job at a middle school.

We all brought beer and food and things- but it turned out he'd thought of all that.

I drove Traff, Karl and Si over- they started on the rum in the car.
messy.

9 hours later I managed to round them all up and get them into the car (like hearding cats) and they were all so busy shouting and farting I almost reversed into a ditch- Thank you Tom for chasing after us and stopping me!
I abandoned all the men at Si's to watch films and carry on drinking.

Traff re-appeared about an hour later having attempted to "run home".


He is now asleep on my leg on the sofa smelling like a brewery.
Someone has a bad head.
it's not me.

Thank you everyone for a loverly day and evening!

Bedford nature reserve

We went out for a mooch on friday afternoon- I found a website with all walking routes for bedford:
http://www.letsgo.org.uk/thedms.aspx?dms=13&feature=7&venue=2805165

one of them takes you out to bedford nature reserve- which it transpires is 15 min from our house. the path carries on to take you out into open countryside where it joins another footpath so you can keep walking for miles- maybe one to try next time traff's off!

Traff bought his basketball as we were intending to play on the courts at the park on the way home- but I managed to get a massive thorn jammed in my foot so it ended up with traff taking me for a limp home!
:(

Anyways- here are our adventure photos:

the grand national

Bets!
Traff and I put our bets on on friday- 2 bets each, to come in the top 4:

I bet on:
Shakalaka boom boom
seabass

Traff bet on:
Weird Al
Hey Bud.

We didn't watch the race but Seabass came in 3rd so I'll have to send the wife to collect my winnings!

Easter weekend

Swimming in the oasis in swindon! (the curly things in the areal photo are the slides!)

I have a massively bruised hip from landing on it.

otherwise it was good.

:D

We were a bit gutted you only get an hour thought- but to be fair we climbled 28 flights of stairs to go on the slides! so we were tired after an hour.

We went to my mums for dinner- She did roast beef and yorkshires and everything- but for pudding she did one of jamies 30 min meals!

peaches stewed with cinnamon- then served with custard and bashed up shortbread biscuits!

AMAZING!

My easter goodies!

:D

Traff, Waxing his "monobrow" thankfully at our house- not at my mums!

How a woman should wear a man's shirt:

Easter!

Happy easter!
:D

Enjoy your chocolate and time off and doing family stuff!
hurrah.

Traff finishes work at 3, so we're heading to my sisters to stay with her this evening and seeing my parents tomorrow.
They have promised us a steak dinner!
winner!
There was some talk of a BBQ but it's pretty grey and overcast.

We may also go to the Oasis in swindon..SLIDES! apparently they have built a new slide, which we must dutifully test.

Home improvement

Traff and I both had some time off this week- so we tried to make our house less "studenty" and more "grown up". and just tidy up a bit- we still haven't unpacked.

We started out by framing some of our photos and putting them up on the walls- make it look a bit more like our home- less like somewhere we just exist.

these are images of seattle- the top one is a postcard Traff sent me- the bottom two are vintage cards he brought me back as a present.

look how much the skyline has changed!

Traff's running photos- the top one is the norwich half marathon and the bottom on is from Seattle march 4th run.

plenty of space for him to add more.

:D

My photos from new ID in cardiff that have just been in an envelope since they were taken.

The picture hayley sent us of berlin. 

Henna stencil stuck on the boiler. classy. apparently.

Books! on the bookcase! winner! this took us hours.

new flowers

:D

Thanks pancake.

Taking one for the team.

Whilst I appreciate some people will think this post is too personal or even inappropriate, but hopefully this will be positive- and maybe even helpful to someone else.

Anyone who knows me well will know that I have an "interesting" scar on my right side- to be more specific I pretty much have 1/2 a breast.
The scar was caused by an operation I had as a small child because my lung collapsed, but the shape of the scar looks like I've had a partial mastectomy.

I was referred to the hospital not because I'm bothered about how I look (I've always looked like this- and thankfully I'm amply endowed up top so attention is normally not attracted to my side- on top of which I've had almost 25 years of practice at dressing to hide it) but because where it is it forces my bra to fall funny so it's grazed the skin on my side- easily treated with some steroid cream and E45.

The consultant asked if I would consider seeing a prosthetics specialist- this has mutual benefits:

1)I get a prosthetic that fits in the gap and means all my clothes and underwear fit and stop injuring me.

2) this means I'll have something to hold up my bridesmaids dress for sarah's wedding and reduces the chances of upstaging the bride by ending up with my boob hanging out.

and most importantly:

3) This could offer a non surgical solution to other women who have had a mastectomy or lost breast tissue through operations like I have - IF we can get it to work.
This hasn't been attempted before- largely because it's a tricky area to mould, and because no-one knows what the results would be like- I've always looked like this, so if it doesn't work I won't be bothered. I imagine if you've lost that part of your body and it affects the way you see yourself, it could be quite difficult and emotional if it didn't work.
I am a guinea pig.

Who would think having a wonky boob could potentially offer so much to other people? ha ha

Anyway, today we took the final mould and one of the nurses from the breast care and cancer wing came to watch and asked all kinds of questions.
We had to explain that we're still at the experimental stage but she was really excited for the possibilities, which was encouraging.
Although, I get the impression that recently I've got my boobs out for more people than your average lap dancer. "would you mind if I just have a look..?"

I will have my prosthesis by half term- then I have to wear it and see if it works, and what could be improved, then we go back and in the summer I'll have maybe 4 or 5 close together appointments to make changes and finalise it.
Then we have to see if it can be camouflaged on the edges with make up, and which adhesives will work the best.

I am hopeful that this will work, obviously my needs aren't exactly pressing or great, but I can see why this could be awesome.
The scars on my side have too much scar tissue to be fixed surgically without it being an enormous procedure which will leave me looking more like the bride of frankenstein than a vogue cover- for me, I don't think surgery will ever be an option, I'm comfortable with myself how I am.

I can't imagine how upsetting that statement would be though to someone who has just received cancer treatment "I'm sorry, but theres nothing we can do to make your breast look like it should".

Also, on a lighter note; if my boob falls off in public, don't worry about it- we'll probably be at the "adhesive testing" stage!
:P

Peterborough- ferry meadows photos

top 5 places in the UK for afternoon tea, apparently- who wants to test them with me?!

Bettys, Northallerton

The most northerly branch of the Yorkshire tea room chain has been awarded the Tea Guild’s Top Tea Place for 2012. Judging by the comments we regularly receive on tea articles, this will delight many of you. This branch is housed in a gorgeous Grade II-listed building complete with courtyard for al fresco afternoons. Menu-wise, it’s a very traditional affair, with classic British finger sandwiches, sultana scones and miniature cakes.

Cost: £17.95

The Athenaeum Hotel, London

Winner of the Tea Guild’s Top Tea Place London for 2012, the Athenaeum was praised for its “elegant surroundings” and “delicious food and teas faultlessly presented”. The menu, served in the hotel’s Garden Room, aptly enough has a nature theme, including orange blossom scones, bird cookies and fairy cakes with sugar flowers.

Cost: £28.50/£35 including a glass of champagne/£39 for a Regents Park Honey Tea with a glass of Honey Fizz

Pennyhill Park & Hotel, Bagshot

For an opulent treat in the countryside, try Pennyhill Park, winner of the Tea Guild’s Top City and Country Hotel Tea Award. There, you’ll find “really scrumptious food” and an “extensive knowledge of teas”. There are a lot of fruity treats on the menu, including lemon tart, blackcurrant and apple cake, pear and almond tart, and chocolate and blackberry shortbread.

Cost: £28 (£14 for Mini Me Afternoon Tea for under-12s)/£40 for Royal Ascot Afternoon Tea including glass of champagne or champagne cocktail/£45 for Celebration Afternoon including glass of champagne and individual birthday cake

The Angel Hotel, Wales

This former Georgian coaching inn, based in Abergavenny, was awarded The Tea Guild’s Top City and County Hotel Tea Award last year. The elegant surroundings, efficient service and delicious range of sandwiches and cakes make it a must-visit. With a single sitting (3pm to 5.30pm weekdays/weekends from 3.30pm) replete with bone china and silver cake stands, there’s more than a touch of sophistication. So if you find yourself in the Valleys, you know where to go!

Cost: £16.80/£19.80 for Angel Tea, which includes savoury items

The Ritz, London

Afternoon tea at The Ritz has to be tried at least once.  The opulence of the Louis VXI-style Palm Court is a feast for the eyes, while the 17 different types of tea and menu including baked apple and raisin scones (with the obligatory lashings of strawberry preserve and clotted Devon cream) and cucumber sandwiches is a definite excuse to eat yourself silly.

With five daily sittings, and with a formal dress code strictly observed (dinner jackets; no jeans/sports shoes), The Ritz is extravagant in every sense. Just a short walk from Piccadilly Circus (though, given the calorific content, you may want to jog), it’s best to book your table early: they advise that reservations can be required 12 weeks in advance!

Cost: £42/£54 for Champagne Afternoon Tea/£53 for Celebration Afternoon Tea (includes birthday cake)

Holiday? what holiday?

It's been a busy and productive few days- 

Saturday:

We went Rock climbing at bigrock in milton keynes- I've been lots of times before- but always as a guest of a registered member- so Traff, Helen and I did our bouldering qualifications so we can now go on our own.

1 hour of demonstrating being safe. that was all it took!

Before climbing Helen came over and we made fried breakfast- Helen even brought scotch pancake mix and made us pancakes and golden syrrup for afters!

yummy!

she can come for breakfast any time she likes!

Sunday:

Peterborian adventure- we went to see Andy, Ellie and Tor- and we went for carvery.

then we went to ferry meadows and played football and flew kites and went on the miniature railway!

I will put the photos up separately!

Monday:

Today has been super organised!

Traff and I went to town- he wanted some yoga trousers and I wanted some shorts so we went to primark- he came out with what he intended to buy. I surfaced with 2 pairs of leggings.

that was a bit of a fail.

We went to Tavistock street and mooched about and we went to the library- I now have a library card! winner!

I have also joined Robinson pool- so I have a gym card too!

:D

(gym induction on saturday- wish me luck)

I rang Tmobile to leave their network because they've hiked my bill and managed to talk my way into an awesome deal!

new phone!

hopefully with fleetly app and something to play music when I'm at the gym!

I'm going to take my bike out for a spin in a bit and then maybe go and do some lengths of the pool if I haven't forgotten how...