Greetings from a frozen land!

Haven't blogged in ages, can't seem to find the energy
for anything when I'm here at my mum's...
A while ago I decided to post something quickly before she got back
from her evening walk with her dog, as the evenings
are her "internet time", but I couldn't get online!
She had to do it for me...
Earlier today I was saying how I'm so brilliant, and just great at everything
(jokingly of course), as I can always get online on the first try (dial-up)
and today when I fed her dog he ate everything which he usually doesn't.
What's that they say, pride comes before a fall?!

It's been absolutely freezing here in the north pole (I mean Sweden)
and we seem to spen most of our time on the
sofa, curled up under mountains of blankets...
I can't believe I soon have to leave!
I love it here, cold and everything, and of course I love hanging with my mum.
My mum wrote that it always seems like I'll be here
for ages and we have so many plans.
And then time just seems to fly by.
That's exactly how I feel...

Tomorrow is new years eve and I'm cooking a
lovely (I hope) three course meal for my mum.
Complete with mocktails, non-alcoholic wine and bubbly (she doesn't drink).
I think we're going to have a lovely night!
Then on new years day I'm leaving.
*sob*

But she's, hopefully, coming to London in the spring.
So I'll see her then!
Yay!

I do love my mum.

Sab x

Yo ho ho!

Out in Skivsjo, at my mum's now.
And my goodness, there is a lot of snow...
My mum told me to pack warm clothes but,
as a londoner, I don't really own any clothes suitable for this kind of weather.
I was going to take a picture to show what it looks like up here
but of course I forgot to take the camera with me when I went out!

Prepeartions for christmas are in full swing here!
Some guy on the telly is singing Christmas songs,
there's cleaning galore and the christmas tree is being
brought in later to defrost, ready for decorating
tomorrow night!
That's a tradition in our family,
we always decorate our tree the evening before
christmas eve.
I'm sure there'll be some baking at some point as well.
In fact, I think I'll stay home and bake
when my mum takes the dog out tonight.
I usually like going with, but I nearly
lost my toes to frostbite when we went
to the shop earlier today!
Like I said, no suitable clothes...

I will also apologise for any mis-spelings etc
in this post.
I'm having to write it on my mum's desktop
and being used to my laptop I keep hitting the wrong keys!
My mum doesn't do wireless broadband,
she has dial-up as it works out cheaper for her!
Her Blogger is also in Swedish so I can't spellcheck...
I'm sure someone more tech savvy could do something
with the settings, but not me!

Must get on with preparations now!
(Bah, humbug - maybe a bit less now!)

sab x

Flip

Sitting in my friend Filip's flat.
Trying to get going, getting the bus out to my mum's in
a few hours and I need to shower and get ready then go into town to
pick up a few things I forgot to get yeaterday.
Outside it's snowing and I'm feeling decidedly uninspired!

sab x

What's going on in your life right now

I hear you asking.
Well, I'll tell ya!

Just finished watching Buzzcocks, wheich seemed to be Doctor Who themed.
Hosted by the lovely David Tennant
(drool)
and Catherine Tate and some old guy, I'm sure was
Doctor Who at sometime, as guests.
It rocked.
Now I'm going to wrap some presents, make a couple of cards
and then go to bed.

And as I'm typing this, listening to my stomach growl
I realise I forgot to have dinner.
The kitchen was too crowded, so I decided to pack my suitcase
(YAY I'm packed 2 days before I go!!!)
and have dinner later.
That obviously didn't happen...
Ho hum!

sab x

Snow chaos!

Now, how much do you want to bet this
is going to mess up my travel plans?
Does God/Allah/Mother Nature/Whoever
not want me to have a nice Christmas?!

It snowed today, all day.
It didn't stay on the ground or anything.
However, the Met office has issued a "24 hour severe weather warning"
for friday, it seems we might get up to 10cm (!) of snow cover...
Now for someone who grew up in the north pole
(ok north Sweden)
this isn't very "severe" at all.
London, though, does note cope well with snow.
Last time we had snow on the ground the city pretty much ground to a halt.
For days!
So it does not bode well.

If there is snow on the ground in London on friday
and you see a grown woman crying on the Picadilly line,
it's probably me...

sab x

selfish a***holes!

Bloody BA cabin crew are going on strike.
Over Christmas and new year!
How selfish, uncaring, bitter do you get?!

I'm all for the right to strike.
I think it's a great bargaining tool for workers.
But...
BA have made a loss of nearly £300 million this year
£300 million!!!
It's not like they're being greedy and trying to make more money
by freezing salaries and offering voluntary redundancy.
They're trying not to go under!
I'm guessing the millions they'll lose over the Christmas period
because of this strike would have helped.
I mean, these people realise that if BA go tits up, they lose their jobs right?!
Shouldn't they all be pulling together to make it work?

And whatever the business side of it.
What about the million or so people who won't be able to be with their
families this Christmas?
Where are their rights?
Yes they'll get refunds and whatnot.
I guess they'll have a great Christmas knowing that although
they can't be with their loved ones, at least they'll get their money back!

I'm luckily flying out on the 18th and back on the 4th
so strictly speaking my flights aren't affected.
BA are however offering passengers flying 48 hrs either side of
the strike (22 Dec-2 Jan) the chance to rebook free of charge.
To another ticket within 12 months.
Well this doesn't really help me, as I have to be back at work on the 5th.
Have to, have to have to.
Have to.
I'm guessing there will be delays and many hours spent at the airport.
But hopefully I'll get home.
I have to believe that.
Because right now I'm freaking out.

I hate travel at the best of times...
And this has just made me rethink my choice
of living in a different country to my family...

sab x

lol

The world according to bus drivers

The weirdest thing happened to me today.
I was all the way in the back of a queue waiting to get on a bus.
There were quite a few of us and the bus was filling up.
As all the people before me had got on and I put one foot in the door
to get on, the bus driver said uh-uh and shook his head
in that way that only bus drivers can.
"Sorry love, the bus is full" he said.
I looked around wondering if there was a throng of people
I'd missed trying to get on the bus.
But nope, just little ole' me.
"Are you serious?" I asked "it's just me!"
"Sorry, can't take any more people" the bus driver replied
and closed the door.

I can't be the only one who finds this slightly odd?
It was just me!
What a random place to draw the line for the bus being full,
when there's one person left trying to get on...
I mean, it's not like I came running just as he was
about to close the door.
I'd queued up!
I had waited patiently for my turn!

Bus drivers.
They do seem to live in their own little world...

sab x

Dear santa pt 6

Polka dot tights please!

Although these seem to have a ladder in them
and I'd prefer a pair without...
:)

Sab x

woe is me

The other night I yawned (half asleep) and
my lip stud caught in my bite guard.
It was extremely painful!
Now I'm scared that I'm going to rip my lip apart
in my sleep and have stopped using it.

The flipside of that, though, is that I'm now
back to living with an aching clicking jaw...

I wonder what the dentist would say if I rocked up
and said I need a new one for my top jaw.
Because I decided to get my lip pierced...

sab x

frightening

I read blogs.
I read a lot of Swedish blogs.

And I've just realised something:
I've viewed Sweden through rose-tinted glasses.
Sweden is so gender equal.
Sweden is so good at looking after it's vulnerable people.
Sweden is so integrated.
And non-racist.

Wow, talk about going through life wearing blinkers!
Now, my question is:
was it always like this and I was just blind?
Or has my beloved country changed that much in the 6 years since I left?

When did everyone turn into conservative, right-wing,
selfish racists?!

I find this very upsetting...

sab x

grrr

So much to do.
I should really get a move on.
But right now my bed is too comfortable...

Less than a week sabina!
Less than a week!

sab x

Tally

Today I have hed the following accidents:

Fallen up the stairs carrying a hoover - 1
(happens on a weekly basis)
Been whacked in the face with an hourglass - 1
Been hit in the mouth by a shoulder - 1
Taken a wrong step and twisted my ankle - about 20
(I'd say it was about 50/50 between both ankles)

I also atone pint looked up from hoovering, saw my own reflection
in the french doors and screamed.
Not because I looked so hideous but because, for a second,
I thought someone was standing in the garden watching me...

sab x

On flogging a dead horse

Speaking of knitting and crocheting

I guess this is what I'll be doing tonight...

knit a square

Why don't you join in?

sab x

Dear Santa pt 5

A haberdashery box.
This one obviously has sewing stuff in it but I want it
for my crochet and knitting (yes I'm planning on taking that up too)!
I'm sick of keeping everything in plastic bags!

sab x

Dear Santa pt 4

I wouldn't mind a Crop-a-dile Big Bite.
Maybe along with soem gromlets and other bits...

sab x

trippin' down memory lane

hands up if you feel like this sometimes

on the art of navel gazing

I have been neglecting my poor little blog
(and any readers I might have)
and I'm sorry.
Forgive me?

The problem is that with all the things buzzing round in my head
(like a thousand angry bees)
I just can't seem to focus on anything at all.

Time after time I find myself staring in to space,
slumped at the kitchen table or in my bed.
Often I can't even be bothered to turn the telly on...

This usually happens to me when I get stressed like this.
Stress is a double edged sword with me...
I find it very difficult to pull my finger out and get down to
business unless there's some sort of deadline looming.
I've always been like this, when I was finishing my last year of school
(I guess you'd call it college?)
there was this funny little quirk which meant the final grades were set
but they could still be changed for 2/3 days
(I forget which)
and I spent those days finishing assignments/papers/essays
for several courses so I could be graded in them.
(In Sweden there is a grade which is basically "no grade"
meaning you haven't done enough for your teachers to be able to grade you.
It's a grade below Fail..)
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I need to be under some sort
pressure to get something done.
But sometimes I leave things too late and it becomes
(what feels like) an insurmountable obstacle.
There's just too much to do.
And I can't see how I'll ever get it done.
So I shut down.
Withdraw.
Ignore it and hope it'll go away.
Of course it never does.
(except for once but that's a whole other story)
This is where the snowball effect comes into play.
The more I bury my head in the sand the worse it gets.
The worse it gets the more I bury...
Well you get the point.
It also spills over into other parts of my life.
Everything becomes the most difficult thing in the world.
Making a cup of tea feels like climbing mount Everest
and I sink deeper into the sofa, sigh and continue staring into space.

What does this have to do with the blog? I hear you ask.
Several time over the last week or so I have had great ideas of things to blog about.
I've had drafts of blog posts half written in my head.
And then in the evening when I'm slumped in bed,
trying to summon the strength to turn the telly on I think:
I should blog. I had that great idea...
And then I sigh and continue to stare into space.

Everything feels like a huge task right now...
Last night I stayed up for ages watching Miami Ink on Big Dave
(my beloved laptop)
because I couldn't be bothered to go to bed.
You see it would involve brushing my teeth, getting changed etc...
To much effort.

Interestingly enough (well, for me anyways)
this has now turned into a long, rambling post...
Go, figure huh!

Now, onto other things I've neglected.

sab x

This is turning out to be a "million post day"...

Urgh!
Trawling through the interweb for a new layout
for my dear blog is soul destroying...
What makes it even more depressing is the fact that I had
found a really nice one, that I'm sure I saved somewhere, but now I can't find it..!

If anyone fancies helping me out, please feel free!

sab x

p.s. My bloody spotify seems to be on the blink today as well.
Think I might just give up and finish the book I'm reading about the Rwandan genocide...

xxx

Dear Santa part 3

If one of my presents this year happened to contain these
beauties I would be one of the happiest bunnies in the world!

I wouldn't say no to the black version either...

sab x

Kesella!

I think I might (through extensive googling) worked out what kesella is!
On an american forum kinda place it said that kesella is kvarg which in english is Quark...
Think I'm going to try that, since tomorow is the first of advent
and I really want some lusse katter!

This would be so much easier if I just knew what kesella actually
looks/tastes like... But I just can't picture it.
I mean I did manage to find fil in England!
(this article states that [cultured] buttermilk is not the same as fil
I say it is. Or at least as close as you'll get in Britain!)

Mamma - what do you think?
:)
sab x

festive cheer?!

Ugh, the shopping was just as bad as I'd imagined.
I've spent loads of money but feel like I've only just scratched the surface...

And there was so much festive cheer everywhere.
After shopping for a while I realised I hadn't eaten all day
so I went to Costa and had a panini and hot chocolate.
All around me were people talking and laughing,
surrounded by their shopping bags full of presents and the like.
And there I was, scowling and wishing I could cancel christmas!

Bah! frickin' Humbug! indeed...

Now I've had a cup of tea, a chat with my darling G
and calmed down a bit.
Of course, listening to this song on repeat also helped!





I blame my sister and Scandinavian Kitchen for my lack of festive cheer.
My sister for prancing round in Asia, leaving me to do the
X-mas pressie shopping by myself.
And Scandi Kitchen for not yet selling vort limpa (seasonal swedish bread).
Or indeed selling kesella so I could have baked my own lussebullar.
Those two things could maybe get me in the mood...

I think I'm going to have a nap now then get on with things...
sab x

Last minute girl, that's my name!

I've just booked my tickets to Sweden.
It was very expensive...
I'd had this idea that this year I was going to be organised
and not run around doing everything last minute.
Including paying lots for my plane tickets!
That obviously didn't happen...

Oh well, guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
And I do feel like a very old dog today.
My throat's been hurting all week
and one of my tonsils has been swollen.
Today it seems to have developed into a full blown cold.
Or maybe it's actually piggy this time.
Who knows?

All I know is that I don't have time to be ill!
So off I go to buy christmas presents etc...
Joy of joys!
A saturday spent, in the run-up to christmas, fighting the crowds in various shops
whilst also fighting the urge to lie down, curl up and cry for my mummy...

I'm feeling very Bah! Humbug!
sab x

I'm back!

You can't even imagine what it's like for someone
like me to live without an internet connection!
I need my daily blog-fix.
Both writing my own and reading other people's.

Well our connection is fixed!
It was actually fixed yesterday, but it seems our router had
taken against Big Dave (my laptop) while it was down.
For some reason it spent last night refusing me to connect...

I shall write a proper post soon, just have a weeks worth of blogs, emails etc
to catch up on first!

sab x

Holidays are coming...

I've just realised that I'm going back to Sweden for christmas in a month!
(that's if I ever pull my finger out and buy my tickets...)

I've been even more unorganised than ever this year.
I haven't bought any presents yet, apart from the thing me and my
globe trotting sis have planned, and I just now realised that I haven't
even started my christmas cards yet!

I guess that will just have to be added to the list of things to do this weekend.
Maybe I'll have to light a fire under my sis' bf to get him to
do me those stencils...

Now to trawl the internet for stash and plane tickets!
sab x

p.s. I haven't actually seen a Coca Cola ad yet this year.
And I hate myself for saying this but it just doesn't feel like
the holidays are coming until I do...
x

Dear Santa part 2

Speaking of adding to lists:

More crimbo pressie suggestions:

A nice big basket for my room keep all my random crap in.
Some pretty shoes (since my favourite ones where stolen!)
And if you're feeling really generous, a digital SLR.
It doesn't have to be a fancy one.
In fact it would probably be best if it wasnt...

And yes.
This list will probably be added to some more!

sab x

Time for a re-think?

I've been looking at my blog.
And thinking...

Umming and Ahhing...

I think there are going to be some changes.
These last few days I've spent every spare minute of my days blog hopping.
And I've seen some things in other peoples' blogs, certain elements, that I like.
That I want to introduce to my own.

Sometimes this blog feels slightly unstructured.
This can sometimes make me a bit stressed and unable to think of anything worthwhile to post.

The winds of change are blowing!

First of all the look of the blog is going to change.
It feels to dark and cluttered.
I don't care if I lose any gadgets/widgets (wadgets? gidgets?)...

Second - I want to change the tone of the blog.
I want to write about interesting things.
I want to engage people (a bit of dialogue wouldn't go amiss either) and make them think.
Now, I don't mean just talking about "important" things and issues and stuff.
Just more thought out, well written longish posts (be they about politics or jamming).

Third - I need to find a happy medium between the "proper" posts
and the short, multiple ones prattling on about my hangover.
They're staying.
If that's what I feel like writing about then I will.
Just maybe not all day everyday for a month...

Fourth - And this goes back to structure.
I want to introduce some sort of recurring thing.
Think "fashion blog" outfit of the day.
But obviously not that. I'm not turning it into a comedy blog!

This list will probably be added to.
But for now, this is my jumping off point.
Now I just need to put it into practice!

Off to make myself a (de-caff obviously) cuppa and start work on this project.
Gotta love a project!

Sab x

Update

The mission was a success!
Made it all the way to the kitchen and ate two open face sandwiches
with cheese and cucumber whilst the two eggs were being boiled.
Washed it all down with a carton of orange juice.
I feel so much better now!

Think I'll have a nap now and prepare to do it all again tonight...
sab x

Hangover Hell

After a few hours of wishing someone would bring me a pizza,
debating whether or not I'd make it to subway and back,

dreaming of crisps and veg and dip,
I have now decided to make myself a cheese sandwich.

Hmmm, and maybe boil a couple of eggs...

Off I go!
Sab x

(If you don't hear from me again the mission was unsuccessful.)

Dear Santa

Just in case you think I've been a good girl and want to drop some pressies
off for me, here's a little list to help you:

Snus
Various Swedish goodies (salty liquorice, god morgon fullkornsvalling, appelmos,
messmor pa tub etc)
Good Swedish books (Mark Levengood, Jonas Gardell etc)
Nice craft papers from that shop in Vindeln
Snus
Stephen King books (in English)
A (winning) lottery ticket
Nail polish in funky colours

Thanks in advance!
sab x

Achy Breaky Hands

I think I'm doing this crochet thing wrong...
Surely your hands are not supposed to ache so much you wanna chop 'em off after 10 mins?!
I think I need to work on relaxin them. My hands that is.
And stop gripping the damn thing like my life depends on it!

Nothing else to report.
I'm off to bed now.
Sab x

Pig Pox

Btw, forgot an important piece of information.
(I know you're all so interested in my life!)
Six kids from the little angel's class were home from school with flu symptoms on friday.
Today it was eight.
There are all sorts of rumours flying around...
I think we've all prety much convinced ourselves it's the piggy flu.

I can feel myself getting sicker by the minute...
My throat's tickly.
My head aches.
Didn't I have to blow my nose twice today?

Or maybe it's just my hypochondria.

cough cough
sab x

Growing pains

I'm crocheting.
I'm crocheting a blankety type thing for my dad's impending new baby.
The baby he's having with a woman younger than me.
A year and a half after he split up with his wife who died in May.
I'm being a good person.

I'm torn on this issue...
On the one hand:
My dad's happy, so I'm happy for him.
And you know, I'm gonna have another little bro or sis, that's exciting right?
On the other hand:
The little sibling will be living in eritrea and I won't know him or her.
My dad is 60. And his missus is younger than me.
I'm still sad about my stepmum.

So, I'm trying.
I'm putting together a little package to send them.
I've bought a cute romper suit. And a teddy/blanky.
And I'm crocheting.

Aren't I grown up?!
sabx

Nothing. Nada. Zilch

Have just informed Facebook that my mind is blank.
Completely shattered from a day of doing nothing much at all.
Fought the crowds in Camden with Bro.
Booked appointment for a tattoo.
Hung out with Bro, Alan, Darren and James.
Came home.

Now I'm going to bed!
sab x

The beast is back!

Well, that was interesting...
Last weekend I decided to take a little break form t'internet.
I spend most of my evenings blogging, bloghopping, on various forums and generally serfing.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, guess I just wanted to see if I could go a week without it.
And I could!!!
I did however read.
A lot!
Monday I read Twilight.
Tuesday I started New Moon and finished it wednesday.
Then I started Eclipse and finished it Thursday.
And finally Thursday and Friday I read Breaking Dawn.
And now I want my week back!
I don't understand why everyone loves these books so much?!
I only read them so obsessively because when it comes to reading I'm, well, obsessive...
When I start a book I can't relax or think about anything else until I've finished it
and since these rubbish books tie together I had to read them all.

I never intended to read them but on monday i had nothing to do at work and Twilight was
lying around so I started browsing it and you can guess the rest...
The girl thought I should read it, even though she thinks it's rubbish, because she said Bella is just like me.
And she was kind of right!
For those of you who haven't read the books (Don't!!) she is quite accident prone.
Falls over a lot. Hurts herself. That kind of thing...
The kids I look after can tell straight away if I'm having what we call "a bad day".
They involve me falling over a lot. Hurting myself. Dropping things. That sort of thing...
Once the boy suggested we play some game and his sister said: I'm not sure. It involves a lot of running and Sabina will hurt herself!

I'm OK with that though.
After about the hundreth fall in public you kinda learn not to be embarrassed!
Oh well...

Feels good to be back!
(Happy now mum?!)
Sab x

Zzz

Why am I so tired?
I have only worked 2 days this week...

Beddy byes for me!
sab x

sickening

Jason Owen has won an appeal against his indeterminate sentence...
These people make me sick!
That any person who was involved, either directly or inderectly, in the death of a 17 month
old child would feel unfairly treated!

Like Sharon Shoesmith seeking compensation?!
You have got to be kidding me!
How do these people live with themselves?

Makes me want to cry...

For anyone who doesn't know the case - Baby Peter

sab x

Tv heaven

Pooped after working hard all day!
Took a whole rubbish bag full of stuff to Oxfam...
Now I'm gonna chill with some gossip girl and chocolate flavoured soya milk!

*huggles*
sab x

Piles and piles of crap

Been cracking on with the piles.
Started with the clothes piles...
After three attempts to fit everything into my wardrobe I have now given up!
I obviously have too much crap...
So there is now an extra pile - stuff to give to charity shops...
That's what I'm doing the rest of today.
Yes, it will take me all evening to decide what to keep and what to give away.
Like I said, I have a lot of crap...

Just having a rest now.
And a cuppa!
sab x

Lunch

Made myself a yummy lunch today!
Swedish oven pancakes* with homemade peach jam and crusty white bread
with cheese and yellow pepper.

Oven pancakes are really easy to make and very yummy.
Make a batter using 2 eggs, 400 ml milk 200ml plain flour and a pinch of salt.
Pour the batter into a greased square pan and stick it in the oven at about 225 degrees
for about 20 mins until browned on top.
I like mine quite thick, it makes it nice and crusty on top and gooey in the middle
but if not, use a largeish pan for a thinner pancake.
Eat with jam/sugar/anything else you'd like!
Any left over are really nice to eat next day cut into smaller chunks and fried up in butter!

yum yum!
sab x

Flame grilled sunday roast...

On sunday I cooked a sunday roast for my friend Ian as a late birthday dinner.
Well, I use the term "cooked a roast" very loosely here...
My darling brother was coming over after work so we were eating quite late.
I started off by peaking too soon.
You know, when everything is prepared and waiting to be cooked but there's a few
hours left before it can go in the oven.
Then I set fire to a roasting pan!
I got the pan out for the potatoes but instead of putting it on the kitchen counter
in readiness, my brain stopped working and I stuck the empty pan in the preheating oven.
Ordinarily I wouldn't think that should be a problem, right?
I've never heard of pans just bursting into flames?
My theory is that it hadn't been properly cleaned and some dried/burnt on grease,
on the pan, overheated and caught fire...
Either way, after a few minutes I noticed a smell of burning so I went to investigate.
I opened the oven and flames burst out.
Actual huge fiery flames!
Always cool under pressure, I slammed the oven door shut and started screaming Fire! Fire!
James ran into the kitchen to see what the screaming was about and there was a minute or 2
when he kept opening the oven and I kept slamming it shut.
Finally he won the struggle and got the pan out and stuck it in the sink and turned the tap on.
I know you shouldn't put water on burning oil, but remember, there was no actual oil in the pan!
The rubber thing around the oven door was also on fire and he sorted that out.
All the while I was cowering in a corner (litterally) and screaming my head off!
Long story short, the oven didn't really work after that and we ended up slicing the beef and griddlig it and frying the potatoes...
It tasted alright though.
And there was my brilliant cake after!!!

I was a bit surprised at my reaction though...
Screaming?! Hiding in a corner?!
Get a grip woman!!

The flames were huge though...
sab x

Scary stuff, the real world

I've just watched The Truman Show.
That film makes me sad...

But also kind of freaked out.
Where does he go when he climbs through that door?
Is there someone there to meet him?
Where will he live, what will he do?
I mean, it's almost like he's not a real person...
He has no family, no "real life" skills.
I bet it'd be a bit of a shock interacting with "real people"!

It's almost like I want him to stay... He's safe in the show!

Ok, yes I know it's a movie.
It's not real.
But still...

I'm nervous for him!
They need to make a sequel, so I can find out what happened...
Although I bet he'd turn into an alcoholic or something and end up killing himself.
He'd be pretty f****d up wouldn't he?
Yeah, too depressing!

I'm done babbling now.
As you were!
sab x

Love in my tummy!

Today has been a very productiv one.
I baked and (quite elaborately) iced a birthday cake for a friend!
And as I had half a tin of condensed milk left over from the cake,
I made some millionaires shortbread as well!

Here I was going to post a pic of my rather brilliant (if I may say so myself) cake.
However, blogger seems to have other ideas.

And since that's completely ruined my blogging experience,
I'm now going to bed!

Sab x

cupcakes!

Well I finally managed to upload the picture!
So feast your eyes!

I used my (also recently purchased) piping nozzles for the icing.

Some other time, when I don't really need to go to bed, I will type out the recipe for you.

Goodnight!
sab x

LolDog

When I have my pug, I'm going to feed it cupcakes to!



see more dog and puppy pictures

To saw or not to saw

I recently purchased myself a copy of The Hummingbird Bakery book.
(Yes, recipe books are my porn)
I have had cupcakes from there a couple of times and they rock,
I wish I lived closer to one then I'd eat them all the time!
It has lots of yummy looking pictures and delish sounding recipes!

So this evening, as I have the house all to myself, I decided to have a go.
I made one batch of vanilla cupcakes and one batch of chocolate cupcakes.
Then I iced the vanilla ones with chocolate buttercream and vice versa.
Then I decorated them with silver balls, chocolate sugar strands and hundreds & thousands.
Then I ate 2 and now I feel sick...

Ok, I was going to pop a picture in the post so you could see my yummy cakes...
but it's not working.
You'll just have to close your eyes and imagine them!

chocolate kisses
sab x

p.s. saw III is on and I want to watch it but I'm all alone and scared!

p.p.s. My room seems to have turned into a zoo.
A ladybird just landed on my hand! Eurgh!!!

xxx

Bzzzz

I have a bumblebee in my room...
I don't know where it came from.
(Bumblebees don't just spring into existance right?)
I don't want it here.
I tried to shoo it out the window but then it started buzzing round my head.
It seems slightly confused.
I'm confused, I didn't think there were bumblebees this time of year.
Don't they hibernate?
Or die?
Whatever, I don't want it in my room!

But I can't kill it.
I've already been involved in the (painful, drawn out) mass murder of the rats
living under our kitchen cupboards!

Maybe if I ignore it long enough it will find it's own way out?
I mean, it found it's own way in...

It's hard being me.
*sigh*
Sab x

Order please! Order!

I have lost my phone charger...
Well, maybe not lost, it's somewhere in my room. I just can't find it!
I'm guessing it's in one of the pile's of clothes/stuff/whatever that daily threaten to drown me.
(my sister did this with her camera once, lost it for ages then found it underneath a pile of clothes. Then actually lost it for real when her suitcase was stolen on a train in france...)
My room has gone from being a mess, to piles, to mess and back to piles again, I don't know
how many times now.
It's all part of an ongoing (read never ending) project that I started a (loooooong) while ago.
I decided that my drawers, wardrobe etc were too messy and I couldn't find
anything/didn't have anywhere to put all my stuff.
So I got everything out to organise it.
Then I ran out of steam...
Now it's just escalated beyond control!
The only clothes currently residing in my wardrobe are the ones I never use.
All the other ones are either in the "dirty" pile or the "clean" pile.

The thing is I can't just shove it all in.
No, it needs to be tidy! And organised!
Such is the extent of my OCD that I'd rather live amongst plies of crap then have untidy
drawers/wardrobe/cupboards...

I think I need to get help!

Sab x

p.s. I'm now charging my phone through my laptop which means I can't turn it off (sorry Hanna, I lied) so I can't go to bed. And no, I can't just leave it on over night. Boo for wasting energy!

p.p.s. I was going to write a little something about my biggest rolemodel - my mum.
But I'm still working on that... I haven't forgotten mamma!

xxx

I'm bushed.

I'm shattered.
I'm pooped.
I'm knackered.

It was a long weekend and I haven't quite recovered from it.
Friday was my sis' going away bash which was in many ways an un-paralleled (wow, funny word!) disaster and in many ways really good!
Saturday was spent recovering form the night before and looking for edible food.*
Sunday was the day of my sisters departure. *sob*
Now I'm sad. I miss my sister!
I really shouldn't, it's only been a couple of days, but I think it's the idea of not seeing her for 2 months. And not really talking ot her...
Feels weird.

Today I have not left the house.
Not because I was lazy or anything.
Just beacuse the kids are on half term - so no school run, they were out with friends - I didn't have to take them anywhere and I had lots of ironing to do - kind of an indoor activity.
Still, maybe I should go for a walk or something now that I've finished work.
I hear fresh air and exercise is good for you...

Nope, too tired.

Peace, love and Barack Obama
Sab x





*if the woman preparing your panini decides not only to cut it in half without taking the plastic off first, but also to do it with what must have been a butter knife - leave immediately.

all I have energy for right now...

Well

It's cold outside.
I somehow managed to turn off 3 alarms in my sleep this morning.
A minute ago I remembered I was making tea but it had gone cold so I've had to start over.
I'm not doing well so far...

The man from the council (aka The Rat Man) is coming today to check that the rats are
munching the poison.
And take away any dead ones that may be hanging round underneath our kitchen cupboards.
Lovely eh?!

Now I'm going to read my shortlist, have my (fresh) cup of tea
and maybe a bagel with jam and then get on with my jobs!

Cheerio!
sab x

Scary!!!!

Enough to give anyone nightmares!

There's all sorts of their stuff on youtube, including a doc...
Poor girls, they never stood a chance!

(That doesn't mean I don't find this offensive, I do...)

Hugs and kisses
Sab x

Musings

So, I see that I have 25 followers although I realise they're not all
sitting there clicking the refresh button and waiting for my next post!
I also have a few visits to my blog (at least according to that statmetercountingmabob).
I also have a few people who I recognise as fairly regular commenters (commentators?!).

I guess what I'm trying to say is: Comment!
Just a Hi or a Lol or an Aww poor you (depending on the post obviously) would be nice...
I just want to see how many actually read and give a hoot!

So, let's call it an experiment.
I like calling things "an experiment"!

Thanks a bunch in advance!
Look forward to hearing from you!
sab x

Pissing myself laughing

Return of the Blogger

Been absent for a while...
(did anyone notice?!)
Somehow my life has just gotten really hectic lately.
Not quite sure how that has happened!
Been hanging out with sis a lot and she's kinda far away and now
bro and Bana Hanana are here...
My sister goes on her Big Adventure soon and her going away party is on friday.
As usual I am not prepared at all and it's getting a bit difficult fitting everything in!
It starts at 8, my counselling finishes at 7.45. Hmmm.
I can't reschedule (it is the nhs after all) and it's my last session, when we're supposed
to talk about where I go from here, so I can't cancel it.
My sister is very understanding and has said we can probably sort something
out so I can still eat when I get there (although I'll have to miss the starter).
Great!!
I need to have my nails done, was going to do that tomoz but ooops - I'd said I'd babysit.
Go to have them done now and the lovely Vanessa isn't there, she's ill!
So I ended up booking an appointment for tomorrow morning (should have enough time
to do my jobs anyway) get home and realise I've forgotten what time the appointment is...
Things are not going well for me!

Sitting here now, drinking apple and elderflower juice, snacking on roasted corn and licorice and trying to make a plan in my head.
Unfortunately my head doesn't seem to be working at the mo...

Until next time
Sab x

All blogged out

Think I slightly overdid it on the postings yesterday.
I have nothing to write...

Actually, that's a lie.
I just can't be bothered to write it.

Now, I know that you, my legions of readers can't
go a single day without a sab update.
So here goes:
This evening I mad cookies.
There!

Under and In
(I nicked that from a mate!)
Sab x

Ouch

This whole "missing a big chunk of skin off my toe" thing isn't really doing it for me...
Been wearing flippies this week but tonight when I was getting ready to go to the
cinema with James (which turned into quick dinner then home) I decided to wear shoes, as it was chucking it down outside...
I put on my primark pumps (cheap and cheerful!) because they're quite soft and, although pointy, not very tight in the toe area. All was fine.
For a while.
On my way home I actually considered taking the shoe off and walking barefoot...
The pain!!!

And it's not like the shoes kept my feet from getting wet either...

Total Fail!
Sab x

To chav or not to chav...

I asked my little angel today (he was in a good mood) what he thought about
my piercing.
After a moment's thought he replied: it suit you.
Of course I was overjoyed at this!
He is really the only person whos opinoin matters.
(I should point out that he's a 9 yo boy I look after...)

On the other hand (the story above was on the one hand) I asked him the other day
what he thought about my new, big, black hoop earrings and he said they look a bit chavvy.
Which I thought was a bit rich coming from someone who, if he can get away with it, wears top-to-toe chelsea trackies. And wears socks to bed (that's not really chavvy, but neither is it ok)...
Of course I didn't say that - he is after all nine.
I just hmphed and walked away.

sab x

Whta's happened now then?!

My volume control has gone missing!
I'm starting to think that my Big Dave (my laptop) is in on this conspiracy with the royal mail
and my mobile to drive me round the bend...

Oooh, as I'm writing this lots of other things are disappearing...
What's going on?!?!

sab x

how annoying

My piercing (or rather the part of my lip that's pierced) is hurting a bit...
I really do hope it doesn't get infected.
Quite apart form the fact that an infection would be a bit of a bother,
I have been telling all the doubters that the risk of infection is minimal and there is absolutely no reason not to get your lip pierced.
And I don't handle "I told you so"s well.
Hmph!

oh well
sab x

Righto

Takes a bit of getting used to, eating with this thing stuck in my lip.
The amount of times today that my theeth have caught the stud and yanked it in...

My brother comes to London tomorrow!
I'm so happy! *dances about*

I broke my ring today...
It had a wonky black star on it and I love stars.
It ws one of those adjustable thing.
When I was trying to adjust it, I pulled the star off!
I loved that ring...
Maybe I could super-glue it?

sab x

What a productive weekend!

So, I finally got my piercing!
I'm really proud of myself as I had to go in all on my own and I was bricking it...
But I did it and it didn't hurt one bit! (ok maybe one little bit just when the needle went through)
It was just like when I got my tattoo, the anticipation is the worst and as son as they start I go: Is that it?!

My sister was a star!
We were supposed to go and get some stuff for her (in preparation for her trip) but she came with me to look for a piercing studio first. Which didn't really work out...
Then after we'd been to primark (where she also didn't find anything) she was on the phone trying to find a place.
We ended up getting a cab to fulham for it which meant that she didn't have time to do as much at home as she had planned.
She takes her duties as my piercing/tattoo buddy very seriously!

Anyway, doesn't it look great?!

My sis took this picture right after and then blogged it from her iPhone!

In other news, I had (god knows why) decided to wear some pretty shoes for the weekend.
They have a little heel but are very comfortable.
Only thing is, because I haven't worn them a lot and my feet are very wide, I ended up with huge blisters especially on my baby toes.
Her boyfriend said of one of them that it looked like an extra toe, it was so big!
This morning, after I'd had a shower, I needed to change the plaster.
But apparently it had gotten stuck in the blister and the whole thing came off!
Ouch!
I'm now missing a huge chunk of skin on my toe and had to wrap it up on plasters and micro porous tape...
Think I'm going to have to wear flip flops today!

Over and out
sab x

Cheerful post?

Milestone today.
Cried at a counselling session for the first time in my life.
But, I actually feel a bit better!

Munching double deckers and hanging out with my angel...
He's watching telly and I'm blopping.
And he's in a good mood! His smile can really cheer me up.

This weekend I think I'm going to buy myself that camera.
And a cute knitted dress I've had my eye on for a while...
Retail therapy anyone?

sab x

soppy I know

I love this song...
When I get really down about this sh*t I feel like this...

I can't do this by myself
All of these problems, they're all in you head
And I can't be somebody else
You took something perfect and painted it red

well, hello old friend.

Had a very rough night...
Awake for a long time with mothing but my demons for company...
And, yes, I was stupid.
But I won't feel bad about it. I did what I had to do to get through the night...
I foolishly thought I was over it but I guess I'm not. Never will be.
It felt like coming home, a return to the old me...

Tossed between anxiety attacks and crying fits.
One minute I was hating myself, the next everyone else.
Afterwards I could breathe again.
In the early hours of the morning I cried myself to sleep.
With the tv as background noise and the light on.

I can see that deep, dark hole looming...
But I'm not going back there.
I'm gonna sort this sh*t out...

This to shall pass
sab x

sad song

I'm in a mood for sad songs.

How brilliant is this song?
How beautiful is she?
And doesn't it just break your heart when she starts crying?

I could listen to this all day long...
sab x

By the bye

I have just realised that my hometown (Umea is Sweden) will be the European Capital of Culture for 2014!
I'm not quite sure what this means but you can bet I'll be finding out.
Go Umea!!!!


Actually, now that I think about it, I've actually known this for a while
but the penny seems to have just dropped...

So I think everyone should visit Umea in 2014!

Grattis Ume!

sab x

Don't know what to say...

Been a bit down in the dumps lately...
I think I need to grow a thicker skin.
Not judge everybody by the standards I set for myself.

If I say I'm going do something, I do it.
If I say I'm going to be somewhere, a certain time, I am.
If I love someone, I'll do anything for them.
Move heaven and earth to make them happy.
I can't bear the thought of disappointing or hurting someone...

So I expect the same from everyone else.
I expect them to care as much about me as I do about them.
And then I get disappointed. And upset. And angry.
But what right do I have?
They have to live their life how they choose, who am I to judge?

I have tried caring, loving, less. But I can't.
I don't work that way...

So I have to accept that the people I love don't work the same way as me.
Or bugger off...

Maybe for some people "being tired" is a valid reason for bailing out on a plan.
I always work "late" and I'm usually tired and would never see that as a good enough reason to disappoint a friend. But that's me.
I can't expect others to think the same way, can I?

I need to become more accepting of others.
Grow a thicker skin.
Not judge other by the standard I set for myself.

Now, how do I do that?

sab x

arty farty

Stage one completed.
Big Stamp And Scrapbooking Show today, at Ally Pally, and it was all that I could hope for and all that I didn't.
As usual loads of people - some nice, some not so...
Loads of things to buy and look at (if you were lucky enough to actually get to the goodies).
Lot's of getting bumped into and shoved around.
And loooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaads of money leaving my purse...
This time I also managed to hook up with some of the lovely ladees from DC and discuss chocolate chip cookies!

Came back to James' (friend/ex-something) and went straight to bed for a (well needed) rest.
Up now and starving!!!!
James has gone to the shop to get some stuff for dinner, after I shouted at him quite a bit - I get grumpy when I'm hungry!

(Oh my god, my bag full of stash from Ally Pally just fell over very slowly with a creaking sound , making me run screaming from the room! Yes I scare easily...)

Gonna shift myself to the sofa in a bit to see if there's anything good on the telly...
And stroke my stash!

laters
sab x

Why does everything fun happen the same weekend?

I like my weekends to be relaxing.
Preferably to have one day of doing nothing.
I can't live without my duvet days, I hate going back to work on a monday feeling even more tired that I did before the weekend.
I need to recharge...

How, and when, that's going to happen this weekend I do not know.
This weekend is the Big Stamp and Scrapbooking Show, Run To The Beat and the London Tattoo Convention and of course I'm going to all of these events.
How? I hear you ask. I'll tell you.
Tomorrow I'm going to get up bright and early to make a packed lunch. Then I will go to clapham junction to drop my laptop and some clothes off to my friend/ex whatever.
Then go to BSSBS.
Then back to his for some food and possibly a dvd.
Sunday, up bright and early again (I hate getting up early on weekends!) to go watch some of his friends run the half marathon. How much do you want to bet it's going to rain?
Then some food (I hope!). Then tattoo convention.
Then back to his again to eat and sleep.
Monday: die.

So now I'm going to read some more of Northanger Abbey, ice a cake with my little angel then go to bed.

Happy days!
Sab x

loving it

my brother recommended this band to me and I love them!
They're on repeat on my spotify now...

Btw, spotify doesn't seem all that big in the uk.
Who's got it?

sab x

Why, oh why?

Why did I ever get into blogging?!
I know how obsessed I can get with things and what a perfectionist I am...
And the more I get into it, the more I want to do.
I want to add this, I want to change that...
Now I've gotten myself into a right tangle where I'm trying to do lots of things I can't do and don't understand!
And everytime I find the answer it creates twice as many questions...
I feel like I've started at the end and I'm trying to find my way to the start.

I'll keep trying though!
I just wish there was a person in my (real) life that knew about these things and could guide me through it...
I think when I go back to sweden for christmas I'm going to book my cousin for a day of tutoring.
He's really clever and studied computer geekiness at uni!

Good night and Good luck
sab x

The dentist hurted my mouth...

I went to the dentist today...
I was kinda freaked out by my sister having to have her tooth pulled and since I was told nearly a year ago that I needed a filling I thought I should prob get on with that to avoid the same fate!
So, booked myself in.
Now, I hate the dentist...
I don't know why, but it just really freaks me out!
I mean there's the pain and all that, and I don't handle pain well, but that's not it...
I can't stand the sensation when they stick those things in my teeth, those pointy things, it makes me feel nauseuos.
And the smell, eurgh!
And I hate how your mouth feels when it's been numbed.
I don't like having a strangers hands in my mouth and they're face so close to mine (it's the same at the opticians, except for the hands in the mouth thing obviously)!
And the drill, but I think everyone feels the same on that matter...
So yeah, all in all, not something I enjoy.
I break out in a cold sweat and forget to breath.
When I was having my wisdom teeth out a nurse had to sit next to me and remind me to breathe...
But today the little angel I look after was home sick from school so he had to come with me.
Now, I try very hard to be a good rolemodel (well occasionally anyways) and letting him see me freak out at the dentist didn't seem very good.
I think these kinds of behaviours are learned and if he sees important adults in his life being afraid of the dentist, well that fear might be passed on to him.
So I had to play it cool.
I think I did rather well and, considering I love to moan about things, I was rather brave....

I just hope he didn't see my knuckle-whitening grip on the arm rests of the dentist chair.
At least I didn't cry, I have been known to you know...

The numbness has orn off and I'm now munching brownies! Yum!
I made myself a cup of tea when we got back but had to drink it through a straw, it's easy to miss your mouth when you can't feel your lip!

Yours etc
Sab x

Eye candy!

Bit of a movie marathon last night.
First up was Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, which reminded me why I love this guy so much


Sam Rockwell!
Gorgeous, great actor and what a cool name! Rockwell!

Next up was Sense And Sensibility.
With the always gorgeous


Alan Rickman
This man needs no description!

But wait! Someone else caught my eye...


It was Mr Willoughby himself.
How have I missed this guy before, was I always too busy looking at Colonel Brandon?!
Apparently his name is Greg Wise...
Never heard of/seen him before, must investigate!

So long and thanks for all the fish!
sab x

There's a rat in my kitchen...

...what am I gonna do?
I used to love that song when I was little!

Seriously though, there is actually a rat in our kitchen...
The exterminators told us it's probably not a mouse (you'd see the droppings).
We've suspected there's something for a while and have been discussing what to do, traps/poison etc, and now it's been confirmed.
My boss heard it earlier and called in the exterminators, she said it sounded huge!
Then this evening when I was in my room I heard lots of shrieking downstairs and went to see what it was all about.
My boss is standing halfway up the stairs nearly in tears and telling the boy not to let the rat out!
Turns out she'd heard it in the cupboard underneath the sink and now she was scared to go in the kitchen.
I bravely (not really, I'm not scared of rats) had a look and determined the rat was no longer in there, it had probably been scared off by all the screaming.
Found a cardboard box in the recycling which I cut up and sellotaped over the gaps around the pipes etc so it couldn't get back in, then sellotaped the cupboard shut (she wouldn't come back in the kitchen unless I did).
While I was doing this she was on the phone leaving a (rather hysterical) message for the rat killers, as she calls them, saying we can't wait 'til next week they have to come now!!!!

I found all this rather hilarious!
I mean they're kind of gross and all that but it's hardly gonna run at you and attack is it?!

It had been gnawing some cardboard boxes in the cupboard so my guess is there's nest with rat babies somewhere...
She's just now asked me to cover any other gaps, a rat might get into, tomorrow...

And yes, I washed my hands thoroughly after fiddling about in, what's now known as, the rat cupboard...

The drama eh?!

signing off
sab x

Snus Glorious Snus!!!

It has arrived!!!!!
I am now sitting here happily sucking on one!
(actually it's under my lip, where it belongs, sucking on it would be gross...)
It's interesting though how it's the one I ordered a week and a bit ago, not the one my friend sent 3 weeks ago...
Guess that one is lost. That's 60 quid down the drain...
But, you know what, I can't be upset about anything at the moment 'cause I have snuuuuuuus!!!!

And my brother's coming to London for a few weeks!
Yay!!!

Now if only I could work out how to embed a little music player in a post (not the sidebar) I would be the happiest bunny in the world!

That, and getting someone to come to the London Tattoo convention with me...!

Hasta la vista babies!
sab x

Brownies or filth flarn

Me and my little darling made his favourite brownies again the other day.
They really are divine, although as my sister would say filthy!

They are a take on Nigella Lawsons brownies (from ...Domestic Goddess)

This is the recipe I use:
(I'll also put nigella's in case anyone wants to make that)
makes approx 48 pieces

375g unsalted butter
300g dark chocolate (nigella's has 375)
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
500g caster sugar
225g plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
100g white chocolate chunks
2 small bars terry's chocolate orange - chopped into large chunks
(nigellas recipe has 300g chopped walnuts in place of the white and orange choc)


1. Heat oven to 180*. Line a pan approx 33 x 23 x 51/2 cm with baking paper (sides as well). I get a piece larger that the pan, draw around it then cut diagonally from the corners to the outline. One side can then be tucked behind the other so you don't get any creases!

2. Melt butter and chocolate together in a large saucepan.

3. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl.

4. Sift flower into a second bowl and add salt.

5. Let the chocolate mixture cool a bit then beat in the eggs and sugar mixture and the flour.

6. Beat to combine well and just before pouring into the pan, add the mix of chocolate chunks and stir quickly to mix.

7. Bake for about 25 minutes.

When it's ready the top should be pale and and speckled but the middle gooey.

Leave to cool for a while then cut into pieces and eat!

A few tips: The terry's choc orange chunks need to be quite big or they will just melt completely when you add them to the mix.
The same applies to adding them: it needs to be just before you pour the mixture into the pan for the same reason.
The first time I made this I thought I'd never get 48 pieces out of it without making them tiny. They do come out quite small but with this version that is a good thing, they are pretty sweet and rich.
*****************

My goodness, I have become domesticated haven't I?!
I think I really need to put on some ridiculous shoes, lots of make-up and go for a wild night out!!!

Off to look for granola recipes now!

chin chin
sab x

Jane Austen update/blah blah bla

Am currently engrossed in Mansfield Park
and my apples and rosehips are in the kitchen, straining overnight.
Tomorrow is jelly making time, albeit without my trusty sidekick...

If you don't hear anything else about it, it means it did't work out and I'm pretending it never happened!

Now it's back to Fanny, Edmund, Mr Crawford and all the rest!

Bonne nuit
Sab x

My brother

My brother is gorgeous.
He's charming, funny and clever.
Basically, he's pretty cool!
But more importantly, he's kind, generous, caring and he has a heart of gold.

My brother loves music.
He loves listening to music, talking about music and making music.
My brother makes great music.

This is my brother
My brother has a band, Tender Hooligans.
They rock.
Remember the name because one day they will be big.
You heard it here first!

sab x

My achy breaky feet

Today has brought no snus...
In fact, we didn't get any post today at all.

I haven't been sleeping very well lately (might have something to do with my withdrawal) and the other day my boss suggested I start doing some gentle exercise in the evening.
Now, I hate exercise. It's evil.
Ok, that's not true, but it's a bloody pain!
Anyhoo, since I had set my sights on trying this recipe I found for apple and rosehip jelly this weekend, I thought: I'll go for a walk down by the river and see if I can find some.
(I had found some in another spot but have been informed by my mum that they're too close to the road to use. Hi Mum!!)
And what do you know, I found some. In fact I found loads...
Only problem was, it was on the other side of a rather high fence.
No problem, thinks I, I can fit my hand through here and grab some.
It worked. I looked like an idiot, and got more than a few sideways glances, but it worked.
At some point I realised I'd started humming to myself, and that probably added to the appearance of madness, so I stopped that.
I couldn't get that many (or rather ran out of patience) so I only got maybe 200g but I've decided to go back tomorrow and bring some sort of implement with me.
You know, to pull the branches towards me...
I'll have to see what I can find.

Oh, and bye the by, don't wear Primark pumps if you're going for an hours walk by the river.
It's like walking barefoot on all the stones and sharp things and general debris...

Hasta la vista baby!
Sab x

grrr

Tired and emotional.
Just been on the phone with a friend who's been upsetting me a bit lately.
And my F***ING snus hasn't arrived yet!

On the upside I'v efinally had my nails done today.
They are now a love dark blue!
They've been green all summer and, although I read somewhere that green is the colour for nails this autumn, I was etting a bit bored with it.
My lovely nail lady Vanessa had hurt her ankle and was hobbling about the place, but she wouldn't listen when I told her that she has to go see a doctor. She told me her friend was gonna give her a massage. (ankle massage?!)
It was very swollen and a lovely shade of purple though, so don't know if that's going to be enough...

There, I've cheered myself up!
With a bit of blogging and some twix...

Mwah!
sab x

Tearin' Up My Heart

Sitting here trying to decide what to do with my blog layout and listening to *Nsync.
Yes, I am the biggest geek in the world.
Just feeling a bit nostalgic that's all...
When I was round my sis' we watched some thing about them on the Bio HD channel and it brought back some memories.
How I used to love them when I was younger!
Before I found my way back to my rocker roots...

I feel a serious (and possibly self pitying) post brewing but will put it off 'til I get some snus.
Don't think these things should be written while in severe nicotine withdrawal...
My snus should arrive tomorrow and if it doesn't I can't be held responsible for my actions.

Yours truly etc
sab x

things to do

1. Get out of bed
2. Shower and dress
3. Have breakfast
4. Go in search of nicotine
5. Buy jeans and maybe dress
6. Go to work

If I don't get some snus soon I think I might actually lose my mind!!!

I think I'll have plum jam today...

Sab x

one track mind

I seem to have become completely obsessed with preserving at the moment!
Which, I guess, is a good thing to get out of my system now while things are still in season and relatively easy (and more importantly cheap) to get hold of...

So off I went to my sis' yesterday for another jam making session.
My sister was not in the best of spirits, as she'd had a tooth pulled that day, but soon cheered up as we started planning and looking at recipes.
We decided to make two small batches of things we hadn't tried before, pick the one we liked best and make a huge batch of it for the christmas gift baskets we're planning.
The problem has been that we've liked the jams we've made so far too much to give them away!

After perusing some discussion we settled on fig jam and peach jam.
The fig jam is pretty straight forward and we used a recipe from blagger.co.uk which everyone should read regardless of your interest in fig jam recipes!

Now the peach jam was another story...
I'd found a recipe on another blog called saving the season for making earl grey peach jam which I thought sounded fabulous!
My sister on the other hand was doubtful...
After I managed to convince her we realised she didn't have any earl grey tea, she did however have some Lady grey which she figured would be a good substitute. It smelled nice enough, and we were off!
We got our fruit form the market, made dinner and settled down for an evening of tex mex food movies and general pigging out.

This morning (I use the word morning very liberally here) we set about making the jam.
We didn't get off to a good start. I'd forgotten to bring the kitchen scales but after doing some maths we were set. Opened the preserving sugar and what was on the edge? Some gross looking kind of larvae!!! Now I don't mind the state of my fruit, you can cut bruised bits off and so forth, but larvae in my sugar? No thanks! So we had to go to the shop and as my sis didn't want larvae sugar (as she named it) in her bin she packed it in a carrier bag to be thrown in a bin on the way.
We get back to find sugar all over the floor, the bag had leaked.
On closer inspection I say: This isn't preserving sugar, the crystals are too small!
Look in the kitchen - we'd thrown away the wrong bag...
the bag in the bin was her caster sugar we'd taken out of the cupboard in case we didn't have enough preserving sugar and the larvae sugar was still on the counter.
Talk about waste!

Once we'd made the jams and tasted them (especially the peach one) however it was all worth it!
The fig jam was yummy which I was surprised at as I don't like figs and it didn't exactly look appetizing.

The peach jam was delicious! The coulour, the texture, the smell and the flavour it was like heaven in a jam! We ended up "licking" the pan (with the help of bits of bread) almost clean...
Whoever came up with the idea of tea-jam was a genius!
And although I can't say anything about the earl grey version, having never tried it, the Lady Grey jam is brilliant!!!

My sister is going to talk to her boyfriend the chef to see if he can't order us a box of peaches at wholesale price and then we're gonna cook up a huge batch of this delicacy for everyone we know!

MMmmmmmm!
I think I'm just gonna nip down to the kitchen to have myself some crusty white bread with jam!

sab x

Panic over!

I have managed to relocate my messenger!
Don't know how or where I found it, just started kind of clicking on things and there it was!
It's now back where it belongs...

I managed to work out who owns the apple tree, apparently it's communal.
Well for the people who live there and part own the communla garden.
But I figured that me being a nanny in such a family and so many apples just rotting on the ground noone would mind me picking some of them...
So I did!
Half a carrier bag full!

Haven't quite decided what to do with them yet, some will probably be made into chutney and I'm thinking of trying my hand at swedish apple sauce!

Also, finished pride and prejudice!
Don't know what I'll do with myself when I run out of Jane Austen novels to read...

So Long!
sab x

Oh messenger where art thou?

I seem to have lost my msn messenger...
It was there and now it's gone.
Can't find it anywhere...
Anyone know how to find it?
I should really do a course in computer geekiness, I can't even use messenger!

:(

sab x

sab battles the pink robots

It's been a tiring day.
In fact it's been a tiring week...
So much to do and so little time.
And even worse, so little energy...
I think I'm gonna take myself off to the dr's next week to check my iron levels.

To top it all off, the freaking Royal Mail, due either to the strike or incompetence, haven't managed to deliver my snus yet...

My darling Hanna sent it last monday and, as it's supposed to take 3-4 working days, I'm starting to despair... so this evening, with the help of my sis' visa card (and her permission)
I ordered some online.

At least I have something fun to look forward to this weekend!
Me and lil sis are making jam again!
Yes, you've guessed it, I'm obsessed with making preserves at the mo'...

I might also look into just who owns that apple tree and see if I can have some.
Noone else seems to ever use them and I do hate waste...

Today I made a yummy vegetable soup for my dinner (and tomorrows lunch).
I nicked the "recipe" from my sis, she made it last weekend.
It's not really a recipe, you just chuck various vegetables in some stock and boil it for a while...
Add some chilli and loads of garlic and it's scrumptious!
Perfect for cold(ish) autumn evenings...
If there's any of it left for tea tomoz I'm going to chuck some beans or lentil in to add interest!

Interesting huh?!

Well, Jane Austen calls!

Cheerio!
sab x

Kitchen adventures

Well the chutney making went well.
It looks gross, smells gross and is maturing in the cupoard...
I kept exclaiming, as I was making it, how disgusting it was, prompting my darling G to ask why I was making it if I don't like chutney? Well...
1.The thought of all the tomatoes going to waste, after I've spent most of the spring and summer rearing them from seed, annoys me no end!
2. I like making things!
3. I'd like to someday (when I grow up?) be somewhat self suffiecient food wise and this is good practise...
4. I'm sure I'll find someone who'll gladly take it off my hands!

This weekend I'm going to organise all my stuff (no still haven't finished that particular project yet!) then get started on christmas pressies and cards...

Now to lemon slicing!

toodles!
Sab x

Garden adventures

Today was the first time this term that I've had to do the school run and I'm already sick of it...
When I grow up and have kids I'm def having a nanny!

After faffing about with various bits of housework I decided to pull my finger out and pick the tomatoes, that are refusing to ripen, and get going on the chutney.
And guess what I found?!
a RED tomato!!!!

After waiting for so long I had completely given up hope...
When I had a better look I found 3/4 more tomatoes that were on their way...
So I left those and picked all the other green ones.
Popping to the shop, after I've ironed the sheets, to get some stuff I need for the chutney!

Be cool!
Sab x


P.s the tomato was yummylicious!!!

living la vida loca

Movie night for me I think... Just went through the dvd's downstairs and found Seven Pounds with Will Smith which I haven't seen... I also brought Stand By Me upstairs. It's a movie I've seen many times as it was a favourite of ours when we were growing up, but it's also one you can watch over and over again... So that's what I have to choose between.
I would say I'll watch them both but I'm itching to start Pride and Prejudice before I go to bed as well!

Was actually hoping to blog mine and sis's jam making session but sice she hasn't emailed me the pics that's just going to have to wait I guess...

See ya laters alligators!

Loo roll flower (challenge catch-ups)

This weeks Tuesday Taggers challenge sponsored by Craft Emporium is butttons and bows.
And the Lots To Do challenge is tissue paper.

Since they are both quite broad themes I decided to combine them both and make this Loo Roll Flower!

I love these cute little things!
I found this link on UKScrappers and wanted to try it out.
As you can tell from the name, I used an empty loo roll, some blue patterned paper and some
light blue tissue paper. The centre bit is a (handcut hence the wonkiness) felt flower and a button. My new project is to make loads of these and hang them all round my room!

Thanks for looking and comments are always appreciated!
Sab x

Hope you like Jamming too

Just got out of the shower and now I'm off to pick up some jam jars
then head over my sis' way for a day of preserving!
Hopefully we'll take some pics that I can upload later...

Last night I went to see District 9 with my dear Seamus.
It was a very good film, if a little obvious in it's parallels with apartheid, but
unfortunately I left with a heavy heart...
Everyone seems to be have all these lovely prospects and their lives are going somewhere.
Not me however, I'm left behind treading water...
Something must be done, a change must be made, if only I knew what!

Now I'm going to stop feeling sorry for myself and get going!
I'm sure a day of good old fashioned jam making will make me feel better!


Here's looking at you kid!

Yummy Plummy Jammy Whammy!

I have become so domesticated... Who would have thought, a couple of years ago,
that I'd find making jam exciting!

Well, we have a plum tree in the garden that noone really takes any notice of.
Every year someone says: look at all the plums, we must eat them all! then we half heartedly
pick a few that sit in the fruit bowl then go off...
So I decided not to let them go to waste this year. And I made plum jam!

It was really easy and turned out so yummy!!!
My sis came over last saturday to try it (and to have sushi which turned into pizza)
and she seemed to like it too.
Of course we also had to have a little photo shoot!


Look how happy I look with my jam!

This saturday me and my lovely little sis are having a jamming session.
It seems the bug is catching!!!

Now my little darling is complaing I'm taking too long
and he wants to try the brownies we made a little while ago...
Then it's back to Sense and Sensibility!

Peace Out!