Narnia returns

Oh this is my childhood coming to life on the big screen!!! Tim and I have seen the other two films so this completes the trilogy for us, just in time for Christmas. It is little wonder that I grew up a dreamer with a strong belief in make believe; all those stories of Peter Pan, and Alice, and wardrobes..........my ability to suspend belief is as strong now as it ever was!! So I love this sort of movie!  Enjoy.
Sue xx

Teenagers, grr!!!!

Sometimes it pays to get assertive on the telephone!!!! In my despair over the lack of co-operation from the boy this morning, who failed to answer the door when I was out thereby missing out on the delivery of a Christmas present ( for him), I got so frustrated about the thought of having to go to Alkmaar after work tomorrow night that I rang the delivery company and asserted my disappointment etc. I can't believe the delivery guy waited long enough or Tim would have got to the door in time, so I laid it on a bit thick and was given the depot number to ring to see whether I could organise it better for us. And I could! Now all I have to do is get to Bovenkarspel after work tomorrow and all will be well. Tim not talking to me any more of course - seems to be standard response from him at the moment, and loud music is blaring out of his locked bedroom. Joy of joys...............don't you just love the stress of Christmas?!!!! ;-)
Sue xx

Weather Watching

Well, according to the BBC forecast I ought to be ok for Thursday since only light snow showers are forecast for Sheffield and in Leeds on Friday it will be sunny!!! It would appear that Tuesday is the turning point really as then the snow moves inland from the east coast and will affect more places..............I feel rather nervous I must admit. Looking outside here right now it is still dark and grey - there has been a heavy frost overnight and it is white on all the tops. Brr! I will have to go out later on but then it is back indoors for the rest of the day.
Well, Anne got through to the semi-final of Strictly. I do not agree with the vote I am afraid as despite being amusing to watch, one cannot call it dancing and that is what the show is all about. Patsy was better..........and Gavin is doing his best and actually starting to enjoy learning the dance routines so go Gav!!! I think it must be his sports instinct taking over - wanting to win at everything. Ah well, just have to keep watching and see how events unfold. I still would like to see Matt and Aliona as winners.
Time to get dressed I suppose; my towel ought to be warm enough by now!!!! :-)
Sue xx

Christmas

Just wrapping presents and thinking about what I need to do and buy when in the mighty world of Tesco's!! I found the menu I cooked in 2008 whilst up in the attic; my word, I was ambitious!!!!
This is how it read then:

Salmon Pate on Toast

Prawns in Rose-Marie Sauce

Prosecco

........

Lemon & Herb Roast Turkey

& Stuffing

Crispy Roast Potatoes

Chardonnay Carrots

Festive Red Cabbage

Sprouts a la Tim

Roast Parsnips

Chipolata Sausages in Bacon Rolls

Home-made Bread Sauce

Cranberry Relish

Madeira Gravy

New Zealand White Wine

Fleurie

............

White Chocolate & Red Berry Trifle

Port

Coffee & Liqueurs

..............................................

Hm, this will need some living up to this year!! Some dishes are a tradition in our family so they always appear, but I think some shuffling around is required this year as I like to try different things. At the moment we are considering doing away with the starters and replacing them with early drinky-poos and nibbly bits!!! ( we know what we mean!!!) Starting the day off with some Harvey's is a given, but I have found a really good sounding cocktail that I want to try out, with some small nibbles on the side whilst I finish the cooking off in the kitchen. Having friends here on Boxing Day is making me very happy, and I do so enjoy preparing this dinner for everyone. Tim likes his puddings the best but the jury is still out on what I will make for him this year. There will definitely need to be a slimming alternative for me!!!!

I have now reached just over the 7kilo mark and I feel great. I achieved my target for England yesterday so that is a good feeling, and I intend to stay on the straight and narrow when I am away. It can take a month to lose 7 kilos but a weekend to put them all back on again!!! Life is so unfair!!!!!!

One recipe for a delicious Mulled Wine is this one, which is known as: 

                                                              

                                                              THE OXFORD BISHOP

• 1 whole orange
• 16 whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground mace
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 75cl (26½fl oz) bottle of port
• the juice of ½ orange
• whole nutmeg

You will need a small baking tray.

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Begin by cutting the orange in half and studding each half with 8 cloves, then place the halves on a baking tray in the centre of the oven to bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour 275ml (9¾fl oz) of water into a small saucepan, add the sugar, cinnamon, mace, allspice and ginger, then over a high heat bring the mixture to simmering point, giving it a good stir. Let it boil briskly until it has reduced by at least half, then take off the heat and leave on one side. 

When you're ready to serve, empty the port into a saucepan and add the baked orange (plus the cloves). Pour in the spice mixture, followed by the orange juice, then heat gently without actually bringing to the boil. 

Serve it in a warmed bowl with the orange halves floating in it and a little grated nutmeg on top.

I make it each year and it goes in a flash! All this talk about food is sending me into my planning and list making mode so time to go downstairs and make that final selection!!!!

Sue xx

North Yorkshire Moors right now!!

Time on my hands

This morning I have sufficient time on my hands to relax and sort out what I want for the coming week. I am still, however, totally frustrated by not being able to find a few things in the boxes in the attic and this is driving me nuts!!! I am missing one picture, one coffee grinder and my cutting mats. So, I braved the cold up there and went a-searching this morning, and came back down with the handbag I need for England, some beautiful scraps I've made previously for Christmas, some templates, and absolutely no sign of what I went up to find!! It is so annoying as they have to be there and I simply cannot lay my hands on them.
It's 11am here, and the overnight frost is still lying heavily on the shed roofs and cars, including mine. I hope it is defrosted before I go out in a couple of hours time.....there is no snow so that is good news, but it is now much colder than before, so who knows?
Tim is allowed to work in the bakery - yeh! He is pleased about it. I thought it would not present a problem but with it being the run-up to Christmas it might have been an issue.
And now I hear that my appointment this afternoon is cancelled so that is disappointing but understandable so that's life. Hey ho...............
Sue xx

Chilly here

This morning it started to SNOW. Little pieces of white stuff fluttering down out of a grey sky, settling in places and making it feel really wintry! But we don't want it do we?? Becci says on her facebook page that she has got Snow, Snow, Snow!! I have to follow the weather on the BBC this week as it might wreck my plans to travel to the north this coming Thursday..............can't bear to think about it!!! I am so looking forward to seeing everybody again, and yet having lived there myself, I do know how bad it can get, so I have to stay positive but realistic about the coming few days weather.

What have I done today - ordered my afzuigcap - ventilator for the oven - finally! It's been hard saving up so much money for it but it is done now, and I only hope it fits and does its job well. At least there is still time to get it fitted before Christmas, which would make me amazingly happy, so fingers crossed for that.
I spent the rest of the morning toe-ing and fro-ing getting the shopping in for Tim whilst I am away, getting a snow shovel and the protectors for the car windscreen and rear window, and generally organising us for my little 'escape to the country'! How is it that no matter what I see our son wear in one week, it bears absolutely no correlation to the amount he has for the wash? I must fold and replace at least half of it without the need to wash it, and he never notices at all.
He has a dilemma to solve this morning at work. I am delighted to say that he is doing so well at the bakery they have asked him to work for the week running up to Christmas, with pay, however, he had also wanted to work at his Saturday job too, so now he wants to switch if it can be arranged. I have left him to work that one out with his supervisors, but I do feel if he can work in the bakery that is more useful to his training and career than his weekend work.......
I am curious to hear what has been agreed.
I went to a Christmas Fayre last night with my friend Gebke, at a day centre which is run by our organisation. There were some super gifts which the clients had made in the workshops, for example, I bought some gorgeous black and white candles from the candle-making department, some cards and a glass necklace, for next to nothing in comparison with shop bought goods. I know my friends will de delighted with them too, as they are destined for England. If I still had my camera I would show you, but unfortunately, I am too honest, and I cannot get something back on my insurance because it was caused by my own fault and it was my own camera................I am heart-broken because I simply cannot replace it right now, and I do so love my camera!! Ce la vie............time for a letter to Santa maybe????
Well, having run around all morning I am now going to indulge in some creativity myself, bye.
Sue xx

early morning study

Ouch! It was not through choice that I found myself sitting at the computer at 4am this morning!! Seriously, I would have preferred sleep!! But it was a terrible night with little real sleep and I was awake off and on until I woke up properly around 3 o'clock, and couldn't go back to sleep after that point. So what is a girl to do? Sit and write essays!!! It is now 5.36am and I am flagging. All thought - out and done. My head hurts and throbs, the bed looks like a bomb hit it, I'm dying for a cup of tea, and the alarm just went off!!! Yes, I have to go to work today, so time to gird my loins, take a shower and get started on the proper business of the day.
Before I do that, the last minutes of my marathon essay writing veered off on a search for suitable quotations to use in my personal essay. I sought out my personal favourite: Pooh. So this is what he has to say to you this morning:-

'promise me you’ll never forget me because if I thought you would I’d never leave.’

Inspirational!!

As usual Tim Holtz has outdone himself this year with this fabulous video introducing his 12 tags of Christmas. Cannot wait to see each and every one!! I have got mine somewhere in the attic, so want to add some more to my collection this year, but looking at the kit he uses, I will have to improvise a lot!! I was starting to worry that he wasn't going to come up with the goodies this year, but I am impressed with what I have seen so far.
Still lacking in the christmas card ideas though I am trying to find my mojo fast now, and create just a few to send out. I am not planning on making them all for the first time in several years, which is sad but a fact of life right now. I did go to the scrap store this morning..........and wow, aren't there a lot of new and innovative items available since I was last there!!!! I had a wander around the store, chatted with the ladies there, drank coffee, restricted myself to the essentials on my list, and was strong enough not to go overboard, and came home again. Must be a first for me!!! Now I just have to make up my mind and start.

I broke my camera this week which is heart-breaking for me as I love taking pictures. I am hopeful that it is insured so have been looking around to see what is out there if I am able to replace it. Fingers crossed they are going to pay out first....................I love my Lumix, but the Canon is tempting too; any advice for me out there? It will come down to simplicity, price, screen, functions and size!!!!Has to fit into my handbag. Tim is lending me his for my trip next week so hope that is easy to use - and he has got a good battery in it still. Add another thing to my Saturday 'to do' list. Time is running out fast and I need  Saturday for last minute present buying, housework, food shopping and all the other practicalities one has to see to when going away and leaving cats and son behind. But it is only 4 days, a return ticket, and 45 minutes away by air, so hardly worth worrying about really. I imagine I will always want a foot in both camps as they say, so which ever one I am in at the time, the pull from the other one will be just as strong. Two hearts, remember?
Sue xx