Happy Christmas. Happy New Year.

I've been missing in action (again. I know - shocker, isn't it?).

But I have good reason this time. A lot of my time has been taken up with a new development :-)

You may know that I'm currently studying for a degree in Geo-science, as a route into primary teaching. Teaching is, for me, a second choice career which will at least give me a proper career rather than a series of short term jobs that I previouly took in my charity based roles. Most charities only receive funding for set terms eg one year, so my jobs were usually pretty short term.

My dream for years was to have a pub. A proper, family orientated, big garden, real food pub. Hubby and I both did our personal licences to qualify us to run a pub three years ago, but decided at the time that the way the economy was going it would be risking too much to sell our house and buy a pub.

Well.......

We've found the most amazing pub on the market and it's literally only a five minute drive away from home. It's got a big garden (hell.....it's a FIELD!!), big catering kitchen, two bars, a wonderful layout inside, big car park and it's in a fantastic area. It's closed at the minute, but we've had meetings with the Regional Business Manager and we've all agreed that we're going for it !!!!!!!!!!


The idea is that initially I will move in, hubby will stay in the house and the girls will split their time. That way if it doesn't work out we still have the house. If it does work out - and we've said that we will make that decision after a few months - then we will all move in and rent out our house so that the mortgage is covered and we still have an investment.

I won't actually believe it until we've signed everything. But I can allow myself now to plan for the pub that I thought for so long I'd never have. I really can't tell you how happy it makes me, although being Cautious Clare, I'm still doing my studying until we actually sign, just in case it doesn't happen.

Please keep your fingers crossed for us. This is a dream that we all share - Dave and the kids are as excited as me!

xx

Happy New Year !!

We've been snowed in !! We've had an enormous amount of snow over the past few days (forecast to last for the next 10 -14 days too). Lucy's school closed yesterday but they've managed to opn today, but hardly anyone has turned up. I suppose the fact that we live backing onto the school was quite a help in us making that long, treacherous 5 minute walk to the classrooms !!

Over Christmas I made some fantastic deals to accumulate more Tesco points - I'm on target now for £2,100 in February, which is an amazing amount. We all had a wonderful Christmas, full of family and food (the best kind of Christmas!) and are now in the process of getting back to normal.

As with most people, Mickey and I are trying to lose weight and get fitter as well as save money, so to help with this, I roasted a chicken last night, especially for sandwiches. I also grilled the end of a pack of lean/low salt bacon, crumbled it and mixed it with the chopped from the chicken. It made a huge bowl full, which I used to make sandwiches for all of us for today, a chicken and bacon pasta salad for tomorrow and two family size chicken, bacon and vegetble pies. The carcass is currently simmering away to make stock, so I'm feeling very, very virtuous !!

I tend to make a lot of sandwiches for packed lunches, but I admit to them being pretty boring. However I'm trying my hardest now to really pack in the flavour. Mine today includes coleslaw, bbq sauce, tomato, cucumber and onion along with the chicken and bacon. It's about 2 inches high !!!!

Let's hope that I can continue on this impressive streak !

xx

Happy Birthday to Meeeeee !!!

I was 39 on Monday and had an amazing birthday. Everyone treated me like royalty, we went out for a meal (very rare in this family), I had wonderful presents....all in all a fabulous day.

I got my results for my earthquakes, volcanoes and Tsunamis course - I passed !! So I can relax for Christmas now, and continue my study of archaeological science in the New Year.

Virtully all of my christmas shopping is done - I'm hoping to get a Soap am=nd Glory set at Boots tomorrow reduced from £50 to £20 to someone vey special to me. erm.....me *blushes. And I've done so well with Tesco points over this past few weeks that I'm on target to get £1,200 of voucers towards my degree in Februry. SO happy about this !!

Perhaps I should offer to teach a BA (Hons) in Clubcard collecting - although I know people are are far better than me at it !!

xxx

A good day !!

Let me count the ways in which today was a good day -

* I used my Tesco vouchers to pay for 4 seats at the panto for the day before Lucy's birthday, value over £100. Sheila Ferguson is in it (oh yes she is !!) as well as Jonathan Wilkes. We can't wait !!

* I also used my Tesco points to pay for my next Open University course (Geology, seeing as you asked) in FULL, value £360. It's such a relief to me to have the next stage of my degree paid for.

* I was lucky enough to hear about some codes that I could use online at Marks& Spencers and the Body Shop and have done some amazing shops today - about £400 worth of Christmas presents for about £40. The picture above is of Cranbery Feet Hugs (£20) - snuggly slippers that have a sachet you take out, microwave for 30 seconds and replace for toasty feet. Cost from the Body Shop? FREE!!

I would recommend anyone to look into collecting Tesco clubcard points. Over the years Tesco have given us a free cruise for all four of us for two weeks, short breaks, jewellery, gifts, Open University courses, language courses, days out ......and pizza !!

xx

floods....

Devastating floods have hit the UK (which makes me feel guilty for almost making light of our weather here). Hundreds of people have had to be rescued, many are reported lost....the scenes are absolutely terrible.



The armed forces have been called out, rescue services have been out all night, bridges have collapsed......my heart goes out to those affected.

xx

English weather.........

...is something that we all like to complain about. Trust me - most conversations we have includes an element of weather - 'it's too hot !', 'it's too cold!', 'roll on summer!'.

But I think we're truly lucky not to have the weather - and events - that some countries endure. True - we hve flooding from time to time which can be totally deestating, but I'm thinking about the fires, earthquakes etc that destroy whole areas.

In my degree course I've just been studying geological events such as volcanoes and tsunamis, and I've never been so thankful to live in the UK. The photo below is of Chaiten volcano in Chile, taken during a lightning storm as it erupted in 2008. Breathtakingly beautiful, but destructive as hell.




I really don't know how people live in areas which are prone to seismic events without dying of a stress related heart attack !! Seriously - I'd make myself so ill worying about it all the time.

So kudos to those who live in more 'dangerous' areas - I'm happy in safe old England :-)

xx

Squirrels, squirrels everywhere

Had to share this clip that I found on the Soap Queen website - just perfect for today's weather !! You wouldn't believe how much fun Jorge and Henry would have with that number of squirrels; even one makes them tear over the garden for hours !

Feeling really down today as a few days of feeling ill ended up with me at the emergency doctors last night, where I was diagnosed as having strep throat and laryngitis. Typical. I multi task all the time, even when I'm ill !!

I can hardly swallow, and am on liquids for a while - so none of the chicken pie that I'd made for Dave ! I'll make Gray - my Dad (Happy Birthday Gray !!) his bday cake next week; he knows it's worth waiting for.

xx

Half empty nest syndrome

Lucy has gone on her week's visit to the Outdoor Education Centre and I miss her so much already.

I cried so much yesterday when I took her to school - the other mums must think I'm mad, as they were all only too happy to 'get rid' of their kids for a while. It was lovely to see how excited she is though - she was doing her happy dance for ages whilst waiting for the bus to load her suitcase I know that she'll be okay - it's me I'm feeling sorry for - a week without my baby.

Dave had his birthday last Friday - 47 this time although still claiming to be 29. We made him a chocolate birthday cake (amongst other things !) and used the same '2' and '9' candles that we've been using for the past 18 years !!! It's a family tradition now.

My dad's birthday is this Thursday - 5th November - so will need to do even more baking for him. Not being a fan of chocolate I think I'll do him a Rum and Raisin Cake, I just don't know how I'd decorate that !!

xx

Remember me?

Er..Hi...it's me - the disappearing blogger. I got too busy (life.....blah...blah...kids......blah..blah....study......etc etc) so I kind of sort of forgot to blog. But I tattoed 'MUST DO BETTER' on my forehead so hopefully I'll remember from now on !!

It's so cold here - autumn has really set in. Sadly, the central heating isn't working so we're waiting for an engineer to come out tomorrow to fix it. So in the meantime I'm modelling countless layers, socks, cardigans, dressing gowns - none of which are husband approved (quote - 'Mickey, take a pictoure of your Mum looking like that to post on her blog so people can see what she really looks like.' CHEEK!!!!).

Good news - we finally booked a holiday for next year !! Two weeks all inclusive at a beach club in Ibiza. Really can't wait. Dave is desperate for a holiday with everything that's going on at work and with his Mum.

More good news - I passed my last course on oceanography !!! I'm currently working on two more - Earthquakes/volcanoes/tsunamis and archaeology.

Bad news - Dave's Mum is getting worse. By worse I mean, more frustrating, more annoying, harder work, less able to look after herself, more able to refuse point blank to do anything to help herself but still expect everyone to do everything for her. I know how heartless I sound, but it's unbelieveable how much trouble she's causing, to the point of accusing my husband and his sisters of wanting her to 'pop her clogs' to get her money. My sisters-in-law are running themselves ragged trying to look after her as well as their own kids, and their own lives. Dave is doing so much for her that we hardly see him sometimes.

More bad news (for me) - Lucy is going off to camp in two weeks. My baby is going on the annual school trip to an outward bound centre and I'm dreading it. Dreading saying goodbye, dreading waking up while she's gone and not seeing her, dreading her not being there at 3.15pm. Basically dreading everything about it.

Does anyone have any spare valium please ??

xx

Back to school

My two girls are back at school and college now. It seems so quiet without them - the cat and dog keep searching the bedrooms to see where they're hiding !!

It's been a busy few weeks again. Obviously they were both at home for seven weeks(twelve for Mickey), during which time Dave also took two weeks off. We went on various day trips such as West Midlands Safri Park and Llandudno and generally enjoyed our little 'staycation'. Micky had two weeks on a work placement that she earned on a school project, she also had her GCSE results through - 22 GCSE's !!!!!!!! She was featured in the local papers and on TV. Well done gorgeous girl !!

Lucy - my gorgeous ten year old went back to school today into year six - the final year of primary. My baby is growing up !! I'm really, really going to miss having her with me.

We've had horrible roadworks all over our road for a few weeks now with no immediate end in sight. The worst part is that the changes to our road are only going to make things worse - it's being done as part of the safety plans for Lucy's school but it's a terrible idea.

And I've spent about ten days being ill - we thought it might have been swine flu but I think it was just the regular kind. So I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself still :-(

So back to my studying too now.

Archaeology, volcanoes, tsunamis and earthquakes !!

xx

I PASSED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ipassed my OU course - I'm now Clare Bills Cert NatSci (open).

I get letters after my name !!!! I have a university certificate !!!!!!

ME !!!!!!!

Oh I'm celebrating tonight !!!!

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Three weeks later......

I know...I'm terrible - no blogging for three weeks !!! But in my defence, it's been one hell of a three weeks !!

I've had a bad back/shoulder/neck all week, to the point where I had to sleep (well..sort of) in the spare bed as the agony I felt everytime I moved affected poor Dave. I've waddled like a pregnant duck all week :-(

I had to finish my OU degree course - Exploring our Blue Planet. The girls are off school for the long summer holiday. Dave's Mum is taking up everyone's time since Norman died. The exhaust fell off Dave's car (and took two days to sort out). His car also had to go in for a couple of days for other stuff, namely a horrible clicking noise that sounded just like the indicator was on constantly. And finally - my piece de resistance - my freezer broke !!!

I lost about £250 worth of food, including loads of home made meals that I'd prepared. The worst part was that I hadn't actually been in the freezer for days, as I was using all fresh food from the fridge, so when Mickey opened the freezer last Thursday while we were out at a trivia quiz, the smell was sickening - literally. The poor girl was ill as hell because of the smell. I took all the food down to the local tip and the smell is still in my car. It reeks !!!!

On the bright side (HA !!!!!) my results for my first science course - the biggie - are due today/tomorrow, so the waiting wll finally be over. I took delivery of a massive Tesco order last night so I'm again fully stocked on cooking/baking doo-dahs.

And I'm planning a baking day !!!!

Dave is off work for two glorious weeks from Friday, so we're really hoping for some quality family time. Fingers crossed !!

xxxx

Menu plan

After the success of my last menu plan, I created another on, which I'm again doing well at keeping to. It has to be said however, that a couple of days at the weekend were not adhered to as I was pretty full of a cold (but I still managed to go to work, thank god !!). And yes - it started a while ago, but this is the first chance I've had to blog in agaes !!

Monday 6th July
Beef and mushroom soup, fresh rolls followed by strawberry and ice cream pancakes

Tuesday 7th July
All day breakfast

Wednesday 8th July
Chicken in red wine, creamy mashed potatoes

Thursday 9th July
Home made pizza – bbq chicken and cheese and tomato with jacket potatoes and salad, followed by banana and white chocolate muffins

Friday 10th July
Lasagne, jacket potatoes, peas

Saturday 11th July
Chicken, mushroom and bacon pie with chips and peas

Sunday 12th July
Home-made meatballs with tomato sauce and spaghetti

Monday 13th July
Steak pie, potato wedges and veg

Tuesday 14th July
Shepherd’s pie

Wednesday 15th July
St James Beef, mashed potatoes (and a big plate of chips for my nephew who's joining us!)

Thursday 16th July
Beans on toast, followed by pancakes or home made cake

Friday 17th July
Chicken casserole, creamy mashed potatoes

Saturday 18th July
Bacon sandwiches

Sunday 19th July
Home-made meatballs with tomato sauce and spaghetti

Monday 20th July
Toad in the hole, potatoes and beans

Tuesday 21st July
Duck breasts with Italian roast potatoes

Wednesday 22nd July
Burger, chips and peas

Thursday 23rd July
Spaghetti bolognaise

Friday 24th July
Sausage and mash

Saturday 25th July
Honey and mustard pork steaks, potato wedges

Sunday 26th July
Tuna salad nicoise

Monday 27th July
Mushroom and Madeira soup, fresh rolls, followed by pancakes or cakes

Life here is still manic. Studying hard (but loving every second of it, chasing up insurance that's still owing from my daughter's collapsed wardrobes in December, family stuff, work stuff, baking stuff (all those muffins for the wedding this weeken). All in all - manic, manic, manic.

Lucy finishes school this week, Mickey starts her two week work placement in two weeks, and my final assessment for this oceanography course is due on 31st July.

Well, at least no-one can say our lives are boring !!

xxxx

Bad blogger !! (er...me)

I just haven't had time to blog this week !! I didn't even have time to make the Chocolate Orange cake on Sweet and Simple Bakes, which has devastated my husband. It's just been one of those weeks where time simply disappears.

On the bright side, I've enjoyed my study this week - whether farming milkfish in an intense polyculture system in artificial ponds, or salmon in sea lochs is more environmentally friendly.

On the down side -I hve to work Saturday AND Sunday this week !! They're short staffed so it's all hands to the (beer) pumps. The problem is that it gets so hot behind the bar because of all the electricity, and lets be honest - the first 4 hours of each day aren't 'bar-maiding', they're 'cleaner' jobs, albeit in a really nice blouse and skirt. The best dressed cleaner you'll ever see. :-)

Scrubbing out drip trays that no-one else seems to notice, scrubbing the bar sink that is congealed with dead lemon slices, washing and drying tea towels, scrubbing out the fridges....you'll notice the recurring 'scrubbing' theme here.

Let's hope (for my sake) that the weather forecasts are right for once when they say it's cooling down !!

xx

I did it !! I stuck to my menu plan !!

I'm so proud - I stuck to my 10 day menu plan except for when circumstances were beyond our control. We've just had a wonderful tea of home made pizza - cheese and tomato for Lucy and bbq chicken for everyone else.

I've also made two huge bowls of salad for the next couple of days. Mickey and I love the salad boxes from Morrisons where you help yourself, so last time I bought one I made a note of what was in the nicest ones. So I have two lovely big boxes waiting for us in the fridge, and a massive tuna pasta salad on its way to join them !!

Now to plan the next 10 days !!

xx

To univerity, or not to university.....that is the question

After the excitement, came a couple of bad days - I've been ill all weekend!!

Sickness and general 'knackered-ness' really hit me - so bad that I couldn't go to work, so I spent most of the weekend in bed.

I've been looking at doing my degree at my local university instead of with the Open University. It's got a fabulous science department, and the course for the BSc Geoscience looks amazing. I just don't know if I dare to do it though. I'm terrified of feeling out of place, surrounded by teenagers. I have to admit it would be a fabulous opportunity though.

And good news - my Mum loved my bag !! She saw the japanese knot bag that I made a couple of weeks ago and loved it, wanted one ! So I have to find a nice fat quarter to suit her now.

Wish me luck xx

My Prom Queen

Doesn't she look amazing ? I'm so proud of her - she looked fabulous and she enjoyed every second of her night.

My baby - all grown up !!

I fetched her and her friends from the prom, and got home at about 1.30am so I'm exhausted - I need a decent night's sleep before I work at the pub tomorrow. I don't want to fall asleep at the bar !

xx

Two admissions....

Admission 1

I've made two batches of Rum and Raisin slices and one batch of Cherry slics using the same basic recipe. All in less than twenty four hours - the recipe is that good !!! But I've been a good girl and shared them all with my Mum and Mum-in-law.

Admission 2

I've never been great at recycling. I know it's important, I know what a difference it can make, but round here we only have recycling boxes for glass/tins, garden waste and normal waste. But my moter-in-law this week told us that a new system is starting wth five different collection boxes, and if you use them incorrectly you get fined.

First of all, where the hell am I going to put five recycling boxes????? Second, I'm worried about how much time it will take to sort out. I need to look at it as a challenge, and get the kids all excited about reducing 'normal' waste as much as possible and filling the other boxes, but I'm still worried about doing it right (OK, I'm a worrier, about anything and everything).

The Rubbish Diet is really inspiring, about how Mrs Average reduced her household waste to well....not a lot. Let's hope that my houshold can a least get on the right tracks with recycling !

xx

I'm very happy to report.....

that the Rum and Raisin slices recipe works just as well when I leave out the rum and raisins and substitute glace cherries !!!

*huge smiles*

xxx

Rum and Raisin Slices

PLEASE !!! Go to the Caked Crusader's blog to see her amazing recipe for Rum and Raisin Slices.

She advises soaking the raisins in rum for 36 hours, but me being me left them in for just 8. And the cake was still amazing. The demerara sugar topping gave a lovely crunch, and the raisins were so soft and juicy........and the cake kind of, sort of.......isn't there anymore.

Except a few crumbs.

xxx