Walked in to town today, lovely breezy warm day. Spent some time searching for florists wire - not sure it actually exists, think maybe I need to find some thin galvanised wire...sometimes making craft more difficult than it should be.
Would love to share some great craft ideas for autumnal activities but seem a bit stuck at present. Instead decided to make and freeze some easy veggie sausage rolls, they look great, and always go down really well whenever we have a bit of a party or get together. The best thing is the recipe, and how simple it is.
Easy veggie sausage rolls
1 pack ready made puff pastry
150g pack sosmix
half a red onion - finely chopped
bit of vegetable oil
a little milk
poppy seeds
To make
Take the puff pastry out of the fridge about 15 minutes prior to using
Heat the oven to about Gas Mark 6
Oil a baking tray
Make the sosmix according to packet instructions and leave stand for about ten minutes meanwhile...
Fry the red onion in some vegetable oil until soft - about five minutes
Mix the onion in to the sosmix
Roll out the pastry to about 3cm thickness
Put a sausage shape in to the pastry, roll it up, then cut it in to bite sized chunky pieces
Score 2 or 3 lines on top of sos rolls
Brush milk on to sos rolls
Sprinkle poppy seeds on to about half (allowing for people who don't like seeds, aka some children
Put sos rolls on baking tray in oven
Check after about 15 -20 minutes
When golden brown take out of oven, leave a couple of minutes, take off baking tray to cool
Ready to eat hot or cold.
If freezing them to eat later put uncoolked sos rolls on tray in freezer, when frozen pop in freezer bags. Pop back on a greased tray when needed and in pre-heated oven.
I promise you they will go down amazingly well with veggie's and non-veggie's alike.
My other favourite easy buffet ideas are to make a big pot of vegetable soup, have some posh -ish bread ready to have with it, and a selection of cheeses. This is ideal for winter suppers, and can be again prepared in advance and frozen.
I might also make some easy cheese sticks, and some savoury swizzlers, even easier then the sausage roll recipe - just puff pastry strips brushed with marmite and ketchup, twisted up, then cooked in the oven. Can't believe how much I like them for how not healthy they are. I think this winter I'm going to continue to try to make hummus, it never quite works for me, usually just too oily, or too much tahini, or I don't know just not right.
Saturday, 10 November 2007
Friday, 9 November 2007
Freezing Friday
For some reason my bedroom is icy cold, even spent time last night feeling the windows for gaps, could not find any. Few years ago I would have been convinced that we had a ghost, I've heard so many times that spooks make the temperature lower. However, although I still have a little worry spirits exist even if they did ours is such a friendly warm house I'm positive they don't live here - or at least no bad things live here.
Feeling really stressed today as have two big things on, one involving a trip to Eastbourne, which although local - ish still feels a long way away as trafic always a bit of a nightmare. It also involves me leaving baby Jem with a friend, which is quite new to us. Totally trust my friend but still worried that Jem might have total meltdown as she used to when little. One time we left her for no more than ten minutes with her grandfather. She was just crawling, and just wept and crawled around every room in our flat to look for us. Finally she accepted we weren't there, and grandfather was in charge. Apparantly then she just sat sobbing on his lap.
Very traumatic for both of us, course why I have to remind myself of that today is annoying. She's over two, and it will just be for the morning. Trouble is Jem spent one night away from me when she was born in NICU and has made up for it ever since by being velcro'd to be side (the velcro easily comes off when she wants to play!).
Anyway this afternoon should be loads more fun - we're going to a bouncy castle that makes music, not totally sure what to expect but kids exited about the thought.
Did not get around to making a garden wreath yesterday, watched a film instead with children, drank some lemonade, ate revels and pizza. It was really lovely to totally relax with them, usually too busy trying to get everyone to use cutlery and make a sort -of healthy meal which we eat around the table. Sometimes being 'proper family' and trying to bring them up well is too hard and frankly not a lot of fun.
Feeling really stressed today as have two big things on, one involving a trip to Eastbourne, which although local - ish still feels a long way away as trafic always a bit of a nightmare. It also involves me leaving baby Jem with a friend, which is quite new to us. Totally trust my friend but still worried that Jem might have total meltdown as she used to when little. One time we left her for no more than ten minutes with her grandfather. She was just crawling, and just wept and crawled around every room in our flat to look for us. Finally she accepted we weren't there, and grandfather was in charge. Apparantly then she just sat sobbing on his lap.
Very traumatic for both of us, course why I have to remind myself of that today is annoying. She's over two, and it will just be for the morning. Trouble is Jem spent one night away from me when she was born in NICU and has made up for it ever since by being velcro'd to be side (the velcro easily comes off when she wants to play!).
Anyway this afternoon should be loads more fun - we're going to a bouncy castle that makes music, not totally sure what to expect but kids exited about the thought.
Did not get around to making a garden wreath yesterday, watched a film instead with children, drank some lemonade, ate revels and pizza. It was really lovely to totally relax with them, usually too busy trying to get everyone to use cutlery and make a sort -of healthy meal which we eat around the table. Sometimes being 'proper family' and trying to bring them up well is too hard and frankly not a lot of fun.
Thursday, 8 November 2007
Sunny Day
Lovely sunny day today, just realised yesterday that there's a lovely view of the sea on the walk to nursery, will have to take a photo of it. Helps to lift spirits everyday to see the sea, even though we're right up the top of a massive hill and I know the penalty of walking down to the beach is tears as the little ones struggle to climb the mountain home. Apparantly locals say you get used to it, perhaps we will be all like an urban variety of Hedi and her goats by the end of the year.
Popped in to see friend around the corner, who (also) has damp. She's going to DIY tackle it this weekend, fantastic if they can do it as itll save an absolute fortune. I'm still a little mystified by damp really, how come it sometimes dries out? And why do some people say you can sort it ourself by injecting walls etc, and others that is takes specialists who you pay thousands for? Basically think this is like my Chemistry GCSE conundrum that I never got passed, why do we say water boils at 100% when it NEVER HAS.
Had really weird dream last night involving Colin and Justin, decorating guru's from the telly - it either means I've been watching too much telly, or that I fancy them. Can't believe the latter although they are very nice people so think its time to turn off the telly. In fact I always imagined we would be more of a hippy family who played board games and piano and did not have a telly. Instead the children can sing adverts to us, and I kind of adore my sky plus.
Jobs for today, unfun ones are cleaning the bathroom, [hoovering, and tidying in advance of this afternoon when we've got a new language school coming over to see us. We hosted students a couple of times in the summer, largely it went well, although the last one was not a success at all.
Then I thought I might get some creative inspiration and try and make a seasonal wreath - with found objects. Apparantly you can whip one up with an old coat hanger, some ivy and adornments. Not sure about the adornments or how to fix without florist wire (where does that come from? do you beg florists for it?), anyway have not got any.
Will take a photo and publish if successful...
Popped in to see friend around the corner, who (also) has damp. She's going to DIY tackle it this weekend, fantastic if they can do it as itll save an absolute fortune. I'm still a little mystified by damp really, how come it sometimes dries out? And why do some people say you can sort it ourself by injecting walls etc, and others that is takes specialists who you pay thousands for? Basically think this is like my Chemistry GCSE conundrum that I never got passed, why do we say water boils at 100% when it NEVER HAS.
Had really weird dream last night involving Colin and Justin, decorating guru's from the telly - it either means I've been watching too much telly, or that I fancy them. Can't believe the latter although they are very nice people so think its time to turn off the telly. In fact I always imagined we would be more of a hippy family who played board games and piano and did not have a telly. Instead the children can sing adverts to us, and I kind of adore my sky plus.
Jobs for today, unfun ones are cleaning the bathroom, [hoovering, and tidying in advance of this afternoon when we've got a new language school coming over to see us. We hosted students a couple of times in the summer, largely it went well, although the last one was not a success at all.
Then I thought I might get some creative inspiration and try and make a seasonal wreath - with found objects. Apparantly you can whip one up with an old coat hanger, some ivy and adornments. Not sure about the adornments or how to fix without florist wire (where does that come from? do you beg florists for it?), anyway have not got any.
Will take a photo and publish if successful...
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
Too much to do
Woken up this morning to house of mess, looks like a laundry moved in, and decorated my radiators, and in fact every available hanging space with clothes, then had a party to use all the glasses in the house, cooked some pasta and left the remains stuck to the pan, then emptied out the vacuum cleaner on the living room floor.
Great, that and washing a bucket of smelly cloth nappies is my fun for this morning, oh and of course waiting for the washing machine repair person to make our washing machine quieter (yes it is an actual fault). Course ringing the company and telling them it was too noisy was about as silly as the time I rang the plumber and told him sometimes I thought the kitchen sink smelled a bit.
Great, that and washing a bucket of smelly cloth nappies is my fun for this morning, oh and of course waiting for the washing machine repair person to make our washing machine quieter (yes it is an actual fault). Course ringing the company and telling them it was too noisy was about as silly as the time I rang the plumber and told him sometimes I thought the kitchen sink smelled a bit.
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Make do and use
We've come to a new plan with the house, rather than spending money in DIY shops that we haven't got, and planning projects we need to do (that will involve the spending of money in DIY shops) we are going to use everything we have. There are heaps of projects we need to do, but we can just do the ones we have the things for, or even make up projects that we have the stuff for.
This weekend we decided to do our lounge floor using the new philosophy...rather than hiring a sander, or buying a carpet or in fact decent wood flooring we decided to use what we had...anything would be better than the bare floor boards in different colours we had before!
We used old white emulsion as an undercoat, then a tin of white floor paint we'd bought ages ago over the top. In my mind now it looks quirky East London, (Hoxton rather than Leyton), with a lovely seaside feel. And it so has the wow factor, everyone who has entered says wow, some in an enthusiastic designer y way, others in a wow, you are a bit weird way...
Either way I love it!
This weekend we decided to do our lounge floor using the new philosophy...rather than hiring a sander, or buying a carpet or in fact decent wood flooring we decided to use what we had...anything would be better than the bare floor boards in different colours we had before!
We used old white emulsion as an undercoat, then a tin of white floor paint we'd bought ages ago over the top. In my mind now it looks quirky East London, (Hoxton rather than Leyton), with a lovely seaside feel. And it so has the wow factor, everyone who has entered says wow, some in an enthusiastic designer y way, others in a wow, you are a bit weird way...
Either way I love it!
Postman
Just embarassed self in front of freakishly good looking postman. Caught him at the front door trying to post an oversized envelope through our letterbox. It clearly did not fit. So I startled him by opening the door, and telling him sorry the letterbox did not work anymore, nearly said it needed batteries (stock line for kids when things don't work). He just gave me a look and went off. Then I remembered he used it everyday, course it worked.
Why do we talk sometimes when we should say nothing. Or is it just me?
Why do we talk sometimes when we should say nothing. Or is it just me?
Cold cold day
Another cold day in Hastings, heating timer is not working, and will not work again so have to dash to manual switch and turn it on.
Got a bit too much on this week, and starting to feel over whelmed by it, nothing I can really cancel either so just have to try and do it. Had sympathy with man in Eastenders last night who took a tranquiliser to cope (with his mum) although I'd like a sort of week long one really.
Got a bit too much on this week, and starting to feel over whelmed by it, nothing I can really cancel either so just have to try and do it. Had sympathy with man in Eastenders last night who took a tranquiliser to cope (with his mum) although I'd like a sort of week long one really.
Monday, 5 November 2007
Bonfire night tonight, lovely soft bang of fireworks are coming in through the windows, possibly 'cos they are not properly putty 'ed in. Still sounds good, and very autumny. Starting to think about making craft things, and Christmas things, definitely coming to the artistic time in my life I think.
Busy weekend, managed to dig up the front garden. Not sure exactly how though as husband managed to break both the fork and the spade within a hour of using them. Have decided that everytime I do something on the house it makes me happy for at least a day. Then went for lovely walk in town, made even better by avoiding walking home up giant hill by parking the car at the bottom. Just lurked about in town, buying a few things we need from the health food shop, changed the children's night light, and wandered up the beach.
Have decided we, or I need some beauty at least once a week, up here at the top of the hill, we're not appreciating the beach or the sea, or even just the gorgousness of Hastings old town. It's definitely the way to keep sane.
Mind you have woken up this morning quite down, even though have lots planned for this week, think its just hard really.
Have decided we, or I need some beauty at least once a week, up here at the top of the hill, we're not appreciating the beach or the sea, or even just the gorgousness of Hastings old town. It's definitely the way to keep sane.
Mind you have woken up this morning quite down, even though have lots planned for this week, think its just hard really.
Thursday, 1 November 2007
cold cold winter days
Wanted to have a duvet day today, but son wanted to go to nursery - he has far more energy than me. Good for him though as he will have more fun than lounging about on the sofa!
Bit tough this time of year, or just generally at the moment for me to get motivated. So much we could be doing. Still I think its probably true that your body tells you to slow down when it needs to. What I really need is a long lazy weekend in bed, course what I'll get is a weekend of housework, running round after kids, and attempting some DIY stuff.
Real fire turning in to bit too much of a mission too, means going wood hunting at the weekend, and partner chopping lots of wood. Also apparantly means we need a bigger axe, which just scares me because if we had an accident with it, it would be so much more serious. Probably just bit over paranoia but keep hearing absolutely terrible stories about people nearly cutting their arms off with chainsaws and having to hold their arms on, and walking for miles, and losing lots of blood. Think they must all live in the country so maybe these things don't happen in town.
Bit tough this time of year, or just generally at the moment for me to get motivated. So much we could be doing. Still I think its probably true that your body tells you to slow down when it needs to. What I really need is a long lazy weekend in bed, course what I'll get is a weekend of housework, running round after kids, and attempting some DIY stuff.
Real fire turning in to bit too much of a mission too, means going wood hunting at the weekend, and partner chopping lots of wood. Also apparantly means we need a bigger axe, which just scares me because if we had an accident with it, it would be so much more serious. Probably just bit over paranoia but keep hearing absolutely terrible stories about people nearly cutting their arms off with chainsaws and having to hold their arms on, and walking for miles, and losing lots of blood. Think they must all live in the country so maybe these things don't happen in town.
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