Mud bath

We got back from the festival yesterday a little weary and very muddy! We took a coach there which started it's journey in Inverness, it took us about 6 hours to get there but there were people on it who'd been on it since the previous night! It was a bit long but I think the excitement carried us through it. When we arrived it was a bit windy but sunny, we then put the tent up - cue lots of swearing and arguing. Firstly, we put the ground sheet down, then His Lordship and Paddy started to put it up not quite around it, I did point out this probably wasn't right, but Paddy said "it'll be right", well, it wasn't quite, so we had to do a bit of jiggling to get it all into shape. His Lordship then broke the hammer in two by smashing it into the ground after a small strop involving plastic tent pegs. Paddy put a peg in too tight, then tried to take it out using a piece of elastic connected to the tent - I think you can guess what happened next!

After successfully putting it up, we met the neighbours then went and met two other friends who were camping in the normal part. We then had a few pimms in the sun and it was all very jolly.

As the Sunday line-up contained more DJs we wanted to see, we had a fairly early night on the Saturday, we watched Goldie who was AWESOME! (For those unable to use Google or are my Dad, he once had a part in Eastenders as a gangster). We retired to the tent, and as we'd taken such a huge one we all had our own room. We settled down for the night, then the wind and rain started. I felt really cold so had to put on an extra jumper with a hood on whilst in my sleeping bag. I was still freezing so I went into His Lordship's room and tried to snuggle up next to him for warmth!

When we woke up the next day it was chucking it down. His Lordship went out and bought us a poncho which was next to useless, so we ended up buying a full set of wet weather gear and wellies for 40 quid. They were the best 40 quid I've ever spent, it meant I had completely dry clothes for the rest of the festival. There were a couple of down sides to the whole thing though, the first night a man died in one of the big tents during the night, the police think it wasn't drug related, I suspect it might have been hypothermia as it was so very cold, and the next day they were handing out space blankets for free. And less important, but still disappointing, The Chemical Brothers didn't play and we'd been looking forward to seeing them.

I'm now suffering with a stinking cold though and it's back to work tomorrow!

Pudding!

If you've ever been to IKEA you'll know what I'm on about now, if not then I suggest a trip to Morrisons forthwith! We've discovered the BEST pudding EVER! It's this... http://www.almondy.com/uk/2.2.2.html And by god is it good, you don't need much and Cousin Dearest will be pleased to know that it's gluten free, SO NO WHITE FLOUR.

I forgot to say that the windows are now in, and it's a lot warmer upstairs, just in time for summer.

Also, five more sleeps till we go!

All apologies

I've been fantastically busy so had no time to update this place.

Last night I went to Sheffield for a reunion of old friends I've not seen for about 13 years. One of whom now lives in Melborne in Australia and sounds all ozzy, he's also promised to get me on Neighbours as an extra if I go and visit him! Also caught up with my landlord from Leeds who now has three children and is going through a divorce, it's a shame really because he is a lovely man - his wife was such a cow too.

I promised I would say what I thought of the book my cousin sent so here goes....

Firstly I found it difficult to read and that's not because I have trouble in that department, but rather that it was a bit like wading through treacle. I also thought it wasn't so relevant to the British diet as the American one. It strikes me that people in the states eat around 10 times the amount of processed food that we do, you certainly don't see the amount of restaurants and fast food joints here that you do there. And i'm certain that people generally aren't stupid. Take me for example, I know that crisps, biscuits and chocolate aren't the best foods to be eating and I also know that I should eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, as well as meat and dairy. In fact, I would say we eat fairly well in this house, I make most things from scratch and buy in things like pasta, bread (i've tried to make my own, but His Lordship complains about the mess), rice and noodles. I am of the opinion that there are a lot of people out there who try and profit from people's obsessions about food by writing books telling people what they already know, and I struggled to see how a journalist suddenly becomes an authority on any subject without devoting their lives to the study of it, it which case they probably haven't got time to write books! As for organic food, well, if someone wants to give me the money to buy it, I'll gladly accept!! All that aside, I'd like to thank my cousin for the book, it's always nice to get a gift, and I do so love books.

In other news, this time next week we'll be putting up our tent at a music festival down south, we've borrowed a six man tent and it's massive. The three of us are either going to be the most popular people on the site, or the most unpopular depending on how much space there is!

It's been a long time

since I updated this, so I figured I better write something.

I got a book from cousin dearest and am currently ploughing my way through it, full book review will be available once I've finished it.

We're counting down the days till the windows are done and I can paint the spare room and make it look nice! Our Joseph rang me the other day about the kitchen floor, it was lovely to hear from him and hopefully he'll be able to come and fix them.

I'm currently dieting so I can fit in a bridesmaid dress, we tried some on on Saturday and both the bride to be and His Lordship thought that out of the three dresses we whittled it down to I looked best in the one I thought was hideous. Still, it's not my wedding so I don't really get a say. Last week I lost 2lbs, which I know isn't much, but my trousers are fitting better so I must be losing inches too. The trouble is, I'm eating salad for lunches and I HATE lettuce.

Anyway, I have nothing else to report.

Cooking

I've not had much to report hence the lack of blogging.

We've ordered new windows, the surveyor came round today to measure and confirm what we want, they'll come and fit them in 3 weeks. This is going to cost us £975 which is not bad really considering my mate says the windows cost £800 before labour. He's had his van and tools nicked from outside his house - losing a cool £3,000. Let's just say he is far from happy. He knows it won't be anyone in the local area where he lives and has been told by the police that it was probably an organised gang from the North West anyway.

So, I have been cooking today, after buying an electric whisk from tesco for £3.45 I figued it needed an outing, and we've had carbonara so there were leftover egg whites. This was the result...

This is my life

So, we're looking for new windows and what a faff and a big confusing mess that is. So far we've had two quotes both in the region of a thousand pounds for three windows. We're going to get another couple next week and a very good friend of mine (who is a builder/DJ - what a combination!) is looking into how much he can get them for us. However, His Lordship is umming and ahhing about said friend being involved because he wants a guarantee and all the stuff that comes from a "company", he's clearly not as bothered about the cost as I am! Anyway, we shall see what comes from it. Said friend has also offered to come and fix anything that needs doing around the house, for free as a moving in present but we've not taken him up on it as yet as he lives quite a way away. However, we're off up to see him in a fortnight so I can quiz him further then over what is needed.

I think the kitchen floor needs completely re-tiling, and having spoken to a mate of ours who is a painter and decorator, he reckons if we want to do the living room (decorate) we'll need to take the paper down that's up because it's a right mess. Basically, I'm beginning to think the people who lived here didn't care about their surroundings much as everything is slapdash and a bit rubbish. They also appear to have neglected to change their address as we are getting more post for them on a daily basis than we get ourselves! They even had a parcel delivered here today, which I sent back with the Fed Ex people saying they didn't live here. He was trying to get me to take it in but I told him no so he had to take it back to the depot.

I've been busy with work all week, and have another two days of earlies before the weekend. Dave and her bloke are coming over on Saturday and then we're all (about 8 of us including Disco) off to Manchustah for the Hacienda night featuring Shaun Ryder.

In other news, we are putting in for an allotment with one of our friends and his boyfriend. The boyfriend is a lettuce farmer so we'll let him do all the digging!

Bon appetite

So, after a week of "Garden Blur" by His Lordship which consisted of Monday - shepherds pie made in a home economics style, Tuesday - fajhitas of which my meat fell on the floor, Wednesday - curry from a jar, Thursday - chilli con quornie, and vegetables, mash and steak and kidney puddings (hollands made) yesterday I decided to take back the cooking reigns for fear of never eating well again. So today, we've had lasagne, with bread and salad. I'm far too full though. I was going to make apple crumble, but I spent the day cleaning and then playing on my decks and the time got away from me.

We're off to Manchustah tonight to see some friends. There was talk of going to a fun fair that's set up near their house but I don't go on anything for fear of them breaking, and a deep seated hatred of the Waltzer, thanks to a certain cousin who shall remain nameless (he knows who he is)once paying one of the blokes who run them to spin me, Samia and Dean around for the whole ride.

I'll leave you with a little song that's my current favourite thing in the charts...